Black Immigrant Daily News
Following the recent visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his immediate family on a one-week vacation to Jamaica while a travel advisory from the North American country urged its citizens to carefully weigh the option of visiting the island, another top Canadian Government official is heading this way.
On Friday the Canadian High Commission in Jamaica advised that Harjit S Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister with responsibility for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, has announced that he will travel to Barbados and Jamaica from January 9 to 14, 2023. He is to arrive in Jamaica on January 11.
During his visit, Sajjan is to hold discussions with regional officials on shared priorities, such as justice, human rights and gender equality, health, including the COVID-19 vaccination campaign; and strengthening health systems for the prevention of future pandemics.
He is also to visit project sites and meet with key stakeholders to discuss climate resilience and the region’s ability to prepare for and manage natural disasters.
The high commission said the visit is expected to deepen Canada’s commitment to the two countries, and demonstrate support for local and regional priorities in the Caribbean, and increase Sajjan’s role as a “champion of the United Nations-Commonwealth strategy for Small Island Developing States.”
It quoted Sajjan saying that, “Canada’s longstanding and continued commitment to justice reform in Jamaica is unwavering. We know that there is no equality without justice, and that there is no justice without equality. That is why, together, we must strengthen institutions, systems and legislation. We need to advance the rights of women and girls, and we need to improve outcomes for all disadvantaged groups.”
The high commission also noted that Jamaica is a longstanding development partner of Canada and the largest recipient of Canadian bilateral assistance in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) after Haiti. It said Jamaica has made considerable progress in reducing its debt and encouraging stable and widespread economic growth.
NewsAmericasNow.com
