BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Wednesday underscored the importance of closer collaboration with the Caribbean saying Europe will always be ready to listen and to engage with the region.

Addressing the opening of the three-day Caribbean Community (Caricom) summit in Barbados, the official said collaboration was also needed in a changing global environment highlighted by the war in Ukraine, the Middle East, the Gaza and in Sudan and Haiti.

She recalled that when the Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Caricom countries were the first regional block to stand with Ukraine, with Europe and with international law.

“You have shown your big heart and your great courage and Europe will always be grateful for that. Now, three years on, we live in an even more challenging world, and this is why the Caribbean and Europe need each other more than ever before major economies are competing for access to minerals, new technologies and global trade routes, and you know exactly what this means for everybody else, smaller countries, be they in Europe or the Caribbean, risk not only being squeezed but cut off from global supply chains.”

She said the Caribbean region has already faced situations where it was impossible for it to procure batteries, electric cars or life-saving vaccines.

“And this is just not wholly unfair. It is in no one’s interest, because they are challenges that all countries face, whether large or small, developed or developing, we all need to protect nature. We all need to stop and reverse global warming.

“The foundation of our livelihood is this one planet with its phenomenal nature, we all need to face rising threats to human health. We all need to grasp the opportunities of the digital economy while managing its risks on challenges like these. We are not in a race against each other. We are in a race against time. So even in a moment of harsh competition, we need to join forces.”

On decarbonisation and nature protection, the commissioner said Europe understands how the fight against climate change is paramount to the Caribbean States, because it is intrinsically linked to their very existence.

“We understand how fundamental it is for small islands to have a front seat at the table where you can be the strong voice you deserve to be for this cause.

“And let’s be very clear, all continents will have to speed up the transition to climate neutrality, we all have to deal with the growing burden of climate change. Its impact is impossible to ignore.”

She said that with heat waves across Asia, floods from Brazil to Indonesia, from Africa to Europe, hurricanes in the United States and in the Caribbean, “the clock is ticking”.

“Climate change must still be on top of the global agenda and its impact on development must be at the same level of priority,” von der Leyen said, adding that the world needs to move towards net zero.

“Every region should have its own clean tech value chains, and every region should reap the economic benefits. This is a central goal of Europe’s Global Gateway investment program, and today we are launching a new energy transition partnership to produce clean energy and clean hydrogen in the curriculum. But we are also working on local clean tech value chains, for instance.”

She said she supports the project of turning the dangerous sargassum into a source of clean energy.

“Together, we can build local solutions to the most burning global issues. What we have to do is join forces and tap into this potential. Work constructively together. If we work together and join forces in a win-win situation, we can move mountains.

“And there’s so much potential here in the Caribbean, you have a skilled workforce, you have a strong education system. You have many rising industries, I know you want, and you can move up the global value chain. And this is an interest we share.”

The commissioner recalled the disruption caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, noting that it was bitter for the Caribbean when it was almost impossible to procure not only vaccines but also basic medicines like paracetamol.

“Today, we all understand that every region needs to build its own farmer value chains, and this is why we’re launching together a package for local pharma production in the Caribbean,” she said, noting that it includes Global Gateway and private investments.

“It includes a regulatory cooperation. It includes more cooperation between our university for research, but also for skilling people and all of this to build a Caribbean pharma industry, starting with Barbados and Guyana Europe, has a unique expertise, and we’re ready to share it so you can diversify your economy, because this is de-risking global value chains, and it is in our interest,” she added.