KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith will formally end her chairmanship of Caricom’s Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) at the council’s 27th regular meeting set for May 23-24 in Roseau, a mantle which will fall to the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Johnson Smith assumed chairmanship at the 26th regular meeting of the COFCOR last May in Kingston. The COFCOR is the Caricom organ responsible for foreign policy coordination and promoting the development of cooperation among member states and with extra-regional partners.

Speaking of the incoming chair of the COFCOR, Johnson Smith said “I extend best wishes to COFCOR’s new chair, the Honourable Dr Vince Henderson, minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade, and Energy of the Commonwealth of Dominica. I look forward to working with my colleague foreign ministers in offering our full support to Dr Henderson as he guides Caricom’s foreign relations agenda over the next year.”

She explained “The agenda for the council’s 27th regular meeting is, as always, full and interesting. It will include the multidimensional situation in Haiti, border disputes, climate change issues, bilateral relations with third states, United Nations matters including security council reform, candidatures to international bodies, as well as preparations for upcoming multilateral meetings. My colleague foreign ministers and I are also set to engage with representatives from Qatar.”

On the COFCOR’s achievements over the last year, Johnson Smith said, “I am pleased to report that it was a productive year. In addition to hosting both the 26th regular meeting of the COFCOR as well as the 11th UK-Caribbean Forum in Kingston, I convened a series of informal meetings of the council to handle sensitive matters as they evolved. Also important were the meetings of the COFCOR with third states including Canada, India, Japan, South Africa, and the United States, which I co-chaired.”

Johnson Smith also chaired the 18th Special Meeting of the COFCOR in September 2023 in New York City. Under her stewardship, the COFCOR also engaged with the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States (OAS).

Johnson Smith emphasised the prioritisation of Caricom’s response to the situation in Haiti, over the past year, reflecting on an active role including through Jamaica’s hosting of the first consultations between the Haitian Stakeholders and the Caricom Eminent Persons Group (EPG) in June 2023 (the ‘Kingston Talks’).

The minister also engaged bilateral partners in support of Haiti and convened a special briefing with the Diplomatic Corps to encourage support. She also noted the importance of the high-level meeting on Haiti convened by Caricom Heads of Government, together with international partners and Haitian stakeholders, on March 11, 2024, hosted by Jamaica, which resulted in consensus around critical areas.

The minister was also invited by the United Nations Security Council to provide an update on the declaration and outcomes of the March 11 meeting in Kingston and ongoing efforts being made by Caricom.