For his part, the Rt. Honourable Jesse Norman, said the UK and Jamaica were long-standing partners united by shared values of “democracy, human rights and the rule of law.” He stressed the importance of “working together on areas of common interests, including climate change, security and trade, within the Commonwealth”.
In his remarks during the ceremony, Minister of State Campbell noted that Jamaica and the UK have “…a very special relationship that has matured and transformed from centuries of colonial rule, to one of mutual respect and understanding.” He noted that it had been further solidified through strong people-to-people contact and that the sixty years of collaboration and cooperation had witnessed steady support from the UK to Jamaica’s developmental goals, particularly in the security and justice infrastructure, as well as the health sector.
Minister of State Norman also held discussions with Senator the Honourable Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce; Senator the Honourable Matthew Samuda, Minister without Portfolio, Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation; other government representatives, including from Jamaica’s security and defence hierarchy, as well as members of Jamaica’s business community.
Jamaica and the UK established diplomatic relations on 2nd August 1962.
Senator the Honourable Leslie Campbell, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, and the Right Honourable Jesse Norman, MP, Minister of State (Minister for the Americas and the Overseas Territories) in the FCDO, commemorated the sixtieth Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Jamaica and the United Kingdom with an Exchange of Letters, in a brief ceremony held on Tuesday, 25th October 2022, at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Kingston.
The ceremony and luncheon were part of a series of events being attended by the British Minister of State during a tour of the Region. Minister of State Norman attended the Caribbean launch of British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution, with Dr. the Honourable Nigel Clarke, MP, Minister of Finance and the Public Service.
Both Ministers had further discussions at a working luncheon, alongside other senior officials of the Government of Jamaica, where they exchanged views on issues of bilateral, regional and international importance. They also identified ways to deepen and strengthen the Jamaica-UK relationship at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.
Photo caption: Senator the Honourable Leslie Campbell, State Minister in the Foreign Ministry addresses a ceremony held on the occasion of the visit of the Right Honourable Jesse Norman, MP, Minister of State (Minister for the Americas and the Overseas Territories) in the FCDO to Jamaica for the commemoration of the sixtieth Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Jamaica and the United Kingdom. The ceremony was held at the Foreign Ministry’s headquarters in Downtown Kingston on Tuesday, October 25.
