Prime Minister Gaston Browne led the Antiguan & Barbudan delegation to the International Conference on Population & Development (ICPD25), which is being held in Nairobi Kenya. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Conference, where 179 governments adopted a landmark Programme of Action which sets out to empower women and girls for their sake; and for the benefit of their families, communities and nations.
Prime Minister Browne, at the opening held on 12th November 2019, confirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to empower women and girls, and made the following pledges:
- * Zero maternal mortality
- * Zero sexual and gender based violence
- * Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls
- * Gender parity in the Lower House of Parliament
- * General commitment to the ICPD’s 2030 Agenda
On an ICPD25 panel discussion on 13th November, Prime Minister Browne spoke on the issues of climate justice and the nexus between climate change and gender. He indicated that the debilitating impact of climate change has created significant pre and post mitigation, and adaptation costs which are beyond the means of small states in the Caribbean. He considered it a form of climate injustice by the profligate users of fossil fuels, and their attendant emittance of greenhouse gasses that have contributed to global warming and more frequent and ferocious hurricanes as well as persistent droughts. He added that this injustice is compounded by the graduation of small states in the Caribbean and their preclusion from concessional funding to adapt and mitigate against the harmful effects of climate change. Prime Minister Browne stated that small Caribbean states have had to borrow repeatedly on commercial terms to rebuild damaged infrastructure and as a consequence this has resulted in persistent deficits, high debt service ratios and burgeoning debt. He appealed to the international community to eliminate their per capita income criterion and to provide small states with the necessary funding to assist with climate change mitigation and adaptation.
He also noted that the disproportionate impact of climate change on our female population has reduced as a result of various governance, social and economic gender mainstreaming programs that have been introduced over the decades to empower our women and girls.
While in Kenya, Prime Minister Browne held bilateral discussions with President Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya.
They both agreed to establish diplomatic representation between the two countries, and to execute a cooperation agreement to promote bilateral trade and investments. The cooperation agreement will also cover: increase people to people exchanges, exchanges between The University of the West Indies Five Islands and The University of Nairobi, collaboration on common causes, like climate change and reparations; and other issues affecting developing states.
The discussions which will be concretized with the establishment of a formal cooperation agreement, will also include a double taxation treaty and an investor protection agreement.
Prime Minister Browne was accompanied by a delegation comprising Minister Maria Browne, Minister Samantha Marshall, Senator Maureen Hyman-Payne, Senator Shawn Nicholas and Mr. Glentis Thomas.
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Who cares? Please dont shoot the messenger.
Antiguan patriots care! The Prime Minister does us proud.
The lady from St. PN will/or can be a fource to be reckon with in the future. Very smart and intelligent UNLIKE the one that some are claiming to be educated but can only accumulate wealth through several government institutions while their party is in governance. Should challenge for leadership in the party of which she is a member however it appears that these political partyies will only elect folks from the city to leadership. Hope to se that change with the new generation.
“Claim to be educated”? Interesting statement by you.
The facts are there to be observed.
Don’t be a hater.
One can only hope that GB takes note of the Chinese colonization of the African continent including the port in Kenya with China’s debt trap loans and, similar to Antigua the price of getting these loans is always highly inflated with questionable (below standard) construction quality. It could be said that many of the African leaders, including President Kenyatta have to answer to the Chinese because of (outstanding by design) crippling debt.
Interesting to see hypocrisy being the order of the day with regard to pledge two through five. Kenya is known to be extremely corrupt so I am guessing this trip would be like a home away from home comfort zone, so to speak.
LOL! Here you go with your daily does of jealousy and BADMIND towards the PM. Not good for your cardiovascular health though.
What on earth would there be for me, or any other rational person for that matter, to be jealous of?
Is Mrs Browne on vacation?
NO, HE GONE BEG MONEY AS USUAL. HE GONE TRY TO SHAKE DOWN AFRICANS. GONE BEG MORE ROLEX WATCH.
MRS BROWN ALWAYS ON VACATION!
AWG:I concur with your observation.She has not done one thing of consequence but travel since elected to Office.
I hope that the PM is negotiating on the export of African Snails from Antigua to Kenya. Some areas in Africa are in high demand for African Snails.
Another photo op and free flights on the peoples dime.By the time Gaston Browne finishes with politics.He would have accumulated enough mileage.Where by he would not have to purchase another ticket in his life again.He has flown more than a flock of Canadian Geese. And all other world leaders combined in the past 5 years.
Every time I look in the news GB and his ministers and their entourage are off someplace spending the government’s money. The only thing these trips accomplish is to allow these people to see the world and fatten their bank accounts with their per diems. Didn’t need to visit Kenya to make these pledges.
Did the pensioners and civil servants get paid on time?
BLACK-MAN and JUST ASKING
Now I know that you Guys are just BIG talkers. Prime Minister must travel to various parts to meet World Leaders . Your Party which is the UPP has the HIGHEST travel record when in office. You Guys are just haters. Thank God NO ONE take you serious. You will be complaining for the next 30 years. So please don’t get tired.
@ on the move
He certainly didn’t go to Kenya to beg as the country doesn’t have for it self. How many other Caribbean leaders were on the trip. Meeting world leaders is not going to change the fact that Antigua is a small dot in the Caribbean that no one cares about. GB is just nuff with himself and full of self importance.
In thirty years with this government, St. Johns will look the same.
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