VICE-President Kamala Harris on Monday spoke with Prime Minister Andrew Holness to congratulate him and the people of Jamaica upon the 60th anniversary of the country’s Independence.

The vice-president informed Prime Minister Holness that the United States will provide US$2 million in support of the creation of a Cyber Centre of Excellence to be located in Jamaica for the benefit of the region, and they discussed the importance of greater investment in cybersecurity.

The vice-president and Prime Minister Holness welcomed progress made on three short-term, joint US-Caribbean committees that President Biden and the vice-president launched in June to produce concrete, near-term solutions to urgently address food security, energy security, and financial challenges confronting the region.

This call is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to elevate engagement with Caribbean leaders, given our shared interests and common bonds. The vice-president met with Prime Minister Holness on March 30 when they discussed a range of issues including security, COVID-19 recovery, and economic growth. On April 29 the vice-president convened Caribbean leaders virtually, and on June 9 President Biden and the vice-president convened Caribbean leaders at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles.

In Monday’s call, and throughout these engagements, the vice-president made clear the United States, as a neighbour in the Western Hemisphere, values partnerships with Caribbean nations and is committed to addressing the region’s most pressing issues together.