BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH government officially kicking off the third edition of Diplomatic Week in the Federation, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew used the occasion to outline St. Kitts and Nevis’ push to be a state that is in keeping with the Sustainable Develop Goals.
Diplomatic Week brings together the Federation’s Diplomats from around the globe to engage with government officials, the media and civil society on their work and ambitions for the country. It is also an opportunity to gain insights to return and lobby internationally on behalf of St. Kitts and Nevis.
“Our 40-year journey has been buttressed by your unwavering support and assistance in advancing our policy objectives to build a better country for our people to thrive, and to become a responsible partner in the international community,” Dr. Drew told the gathering of diplomats.
Dr. Drew, who took the helm of the Government in August last year, reminded that his administration promised to bring about positive changes and pledged to transform the nation into one that is “more resilient, modern, self-sufficient, prosperous and peaceful, and indeed sustainable”.
Over the last several months, the Government has been outlining ambitious Renewable and Climate Change Initiatives that will bring the Federation inline with the target of being climate resilient and reducing its carbon footprint.
The theme of this week’s event is “Driving Change: Advancing a Vision for a Sustainable Island State”, which is inline with the Government’s push, and the Prime Minister believes that its advancement “will address the socio-economic challenges while creating the enabling environment to achieve the sustainable development agenda” he and his administration envision.
“Since our Government’s assumption of office, over the last eight months, we have made considerable steps in laying the solid foundation necessary to build the transformational change required to attain a sustainable island state,” noted Dr. Drew.
Against that backdrop, he outlined seven pillars which form part of the sustainable island state development agenda: Food Security, Green Energy Transition, Economic Diversification, Sustainable Industries, Creative Economy, COVID-19 Recovery and Social Protection.
“As it pertains to the very critical area of Food Security, in the next few years we aim to significantly increase production and manufacturing of agricultural products by introducing or scaling up the use of technology and innovative techniques. We are cognizant that many of your countries are much more advanced in these areas, and we, therefore, hope we can count on your invaluable support to assist us in becoming equally competitive in this market,” Dr. Drew said.
Touching on the topic of Green Energy Transition, the Prime Minister intimated that it is “fundamentally important” as the Government continues to champion the issue of Climate Action and Mitigation.
This is being done to minimize the hazardous effects of Climate Change on vulnerable societies like St. Kitts and Nevis. And it is with that vision the Government shared the need to transition the country to a position where water and energy are sustainable and in sufficient supply to meet the growing demands.
“As the cost of fossil fuels and the adverse impact of the use of fossil fuels on the environment continues to increase, we are committed, over the next five years, to taking concrete action towards realizing notable green energy injection into the national grid. I am delighted to share that based on our recent assessments; geothermal energy has been identified as a viable option for the large-scale introduction of renewable energy into the national grid. We will therefore continue to collaborate very closely with stakeholders on both islands to ensure that this possibility moves very swiftly to reality, in fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13,” disclosed Dr. Drew.
The Prime Minister recently shared the ambitious agenda with the global community at he just-concluded International Monetary Fund/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, DC, where plans were fully laid out.
