Senator the Honourable Dennis Moses, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, attended a number of engagements associated with the 70th General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly on 28th September, 2015. These include the opening session of the General Debate which was addressed by United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.
In setting the tone for the Debate, United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon highlighted that it was time to “translate promises on paper to action on the ground” in support of achieving a sustainability agenda, eradicating poverty and building a sustainable future for all. The Secretary General in recognizing the milestone of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations, urged world leaders to heed the call of the UN Charter and hear the voices of “We the Peoples.” The Secretary General reinforced to the world’s leaders present such as the President of Brazil, the President of the United States of America, the President of the People’s Republic of China, the President of the Russian Federation and the President of Cuba among others, that the aim was not just to keep people alive, but to give them a life “a decent life.”
Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon also used the opportunity to raise some of the global issues affecting the international community such as the crisis in Syria, the refugee and migration crisis in the Mediterranean, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the Middle East Peace Process.
Minister Moses along with other Commonwealth Caribbean Heads of State/Government or Heads of Delegations, later met in caucus with UK Prime Minister David Cameron where matters of mutual interest between the Commonwealth Caribbean and the UK were raised.
Following the meeting with the UK Prime Minister, Minister Moses joined the other Heads of Delegations at a luncheon hosted by the UN Secretary General.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister later participated in the high level meeting: “Creation of a partnership between Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) Segregated Portfolio Company (SPC) and the South Pacific.” The meeting was convened by the Honourable Freundel Stuart Q.C. M.P, Prime Minister of Barbados at the Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations and was co-hosted by the Honourable Susuga Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa. Within the context of strengthening climate resilience in the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Caribbean and the Pacific region, the Caribbean Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and the possibilities for the establishment of a similar mechanism for the Pacific region were the major topics addressed.
Embracing the opportunity to network with leaders and continue discussion on a broad range of fundamental issues, Minister Moses later attended an event hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom. Following this engagement was one hosted by the President of the United States of America and Mrs. Obama which was also attended by Trinidad and Tobago’s Head of Delegation.
Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs
