The Honourable Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is attending the XXII Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), hosted in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6 to 7 January 2022.
During his address to the forum, Minister Todd commended the Government of Mexico under their tenure of the Pro Tempore Presidency, for their strong leadership to consolidate the efforts of the group, to provide solutions to the ongoing health crisis.
The Foreign Minister noted the socio-economic impact of the pandemic is being prolonged with the emergence of new strains of the virus which has further delayed efforts to embark on economic recovery programmes. Minister Todd also called on member states of CELAC to use one voice in advancing positions for sustainable financing mechanisms to accelerate inclusive and equitable recovery.
The Foreign Minister said that CELAC must be persistent in advocacy for the stabilisation of global temperatures at 1.5 degrees Celsius as called for in the Paris Agreement. In this regard, Minister Todd spoke of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which objectives are to focus on forest climate services and other ecosystem services, stimulate future growth through clean energy and sustainable economic activities and protect against climate change thereby aligning Guyana’s economic and social policies with global climate goals. Minister Todd further noted that Guyana’s national climate adaptation plans give priority to regional food security and production.
The Minister welcomed the Government of Argentina on its assumption to the Presidency of the Pro Tempore Secretariat for the new period and pledged Guyana’s continued support towards the CELAC agenda. He also lauded Argentina’s proposed Work Plan and added that it provides continuity towards addressing the developmental challenges of the region and the strengthening of the integration process.
The Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States (CELAC) was launched in 2011 and it functions as a regional mechanism for political dialogue and cooperation. It is comprised of thirty-three (33) countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). CELAC continues to deepen the dialogue among countries in the region in various priority areas including social development, education, nuclear disarmament, family farming, culture, finance, energy and the environment.
January 7, 2021.
