PORT OF SPAIN: 24TH SEPTEMBER 2025
The Trinidad and Tobago delegation continued its strong showing at the opening of the General Debate
of the 80th Session of the UNGA, using day two of the High-Level Week to advance diplomatic outreach
and strengthen partnerships across regions.
The Honourable Sean Sobers M.P., Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs and, Mr. Nicholas
Morris, Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign and
CARICOM Affairs, led the national delegation to the opening of the General Debate, the centrepiece of
the High-Level Week. Featured speakers included His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General
of the United Nations; Her Excellency Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the General
Assembly; and world leaders including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic
of Brazil and President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America. Also addressing the General
Assembly as the first Member State of CARICOM to speak, was Her Excellency Jennifer Geerlings-
Simons, President of Suriname.
During the High-Level Debate, Minister Sobers and the delegation interacted and held discussions with
His Excellency Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic; the Honourable Gaston Browne,
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Foreign Minister of Saudi
Arabia and Her Excellency Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation
(WTO).
Minister Sobers then held a bilateral meeting with Her Excellency, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Austria. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Trinidad and
Tobago and Austria in areas such as healthcare, artificial intelligence, trade and education; as well as
exploring opportunities for collaboration with the wider CARICOM region. Prior to the bilateral meeting,
Minister Sobers had a brief exchange with His Excellency Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal
President of Austria.
Further underscoring the commitment of Trinidad and Tobago to expand its diplomatic network, Minister
Sobers signed a Joint Communiqué with his counterpart, His Excellency Olushegun Adjadi Bakari,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Benin, which formally established diplomatic relations
between Trinidad and Tobago and Benin. Their discussions highlighted shared priorities in strengthening
multilateral cooperation, while identifying areas for enhanced collaboration including prospective direct air services between Benin and the Caribbean region.
Mr. Nicholas Morris, Parliamentary Secretary, represented Trinidad and Tobago at the High-Level
Meeting of the Like-Minded Group of the Global South, which was hosted by His Excellency Dr.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India. The Parliamentary Secretary
highlighted Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to advancing the common interests of developing
countries and called for greater South-South cooperation within the developing world.
Trinidad and Tobago will continue its active engagement throughout the remainder of the UN High-Level
Week to advance key diplomatic priorities, strengthen multilateral partnerships and contribute to
discussions on issues of regional and international significance for the benefit of the people of Trinidad
and Tobago.
