GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (CMC) -The Caribbean Community (Caricom) Monday said it welcomes the announcement by Canada that it will be providing CAD $24.1 million (One Canadian dollar= US $0.69  cents) in funding to promote social action, empowerment of women, human rights and security in the region.

In a statement, the Guyana-based Caricom Secretariat said that Canada’s Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, had also indicated during the recently Caricom summit in Barbados that his country would be providing CAD$38 million in new funding for several initiatives.

It said these include biodiversity governance; gender equality; recovery and reconstruction efforts following the passage of Hurricane Beryl in 2024, and reproductive education.

“Caricom deeply values Canada’s commitment to our strategic relationship founded on a shared commitment to democracy, respect for human rights and the rules-based international order, and which aims to advance common foreign policy, trade, security, and development priorities, including climate change.”

The Secretariat said that the 15-member regional grouping “reaffirms its commitment to a multi-faceted, enduring, and vibrant partnership with the government of Canada”.