Roseau, Dominica- The prime minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, will head a delegation to the conference of the parties (COP 28) in Dubai next week.
The event is aimed to address the issues related to small states and climate financing.
At the press conference on November 22, 2023 (Wednesday), PM Skerrit said that his main priority of COP 28 will be to advocate for better access to climate financing for small states. He said the Dominican delegation will also seek to enhance their resilience-building capacity in various sectors.
“Our delegation will go to the climate summit next week to improve the availability of critical financial resources for small states to build resilience against the changing climate,” PM Skerrit said.
Notably, COP 28 is all set to occur from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
The theme of COP 28 is “Technology and Innovation, Inclusion, Frontline Communities and Finance.” PM Skerrit said he will use the opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges and needs of small states.
PM Skerrit stressed that COP 28 is a vital conference for small island states, as it will help them secure the necessary funding to cope with the worsening climate situation.
He said that the conference should be one of the actions that deliver on the commitments of developed countries to provide adequate financing to mitigate climate change. He added that the meeting must have a clear outcome by the end of it.
PM Skerrit said, “If we leave Dubai with no clear deliverables, it will be a miserable period for us in the developing World.”
He said that these conferences often have a lot of discussions, but after 30 years, there has yet to be practical action from the developed world to help address the existential threat in the Caribbean or small island states.
He said that he will continue to fight for a fair distribution of climate financing, which is essential and urgent for the future of Dominica and the wider Caribbean.
He said, “I have always said that the lives of our people are at stake, and so I promise that I will keep fighting for more equitable distribution of climate financing, which is critically and urgently needed to ensure all of us have a better future.”
In addition, the delegation of Dominica will also engage with various stakeholders at COP 28 next week. According to the prime minister, it will also increase their interaction on the global stage for the climate change fight.
Saudi-Arabia-CARICOM Summit
Last week, as the chairman of the CARICOM, Prime Minister Dr Roosevelt Skerrit participated in the Saudi Arabia-CARICOM Summit. He said that the summit was a platform to discuss potential areas of collaboration between member states and Saudi Arabia.
During the summit, they met with key individuals from both the public and private sectors, including investment groups. PM Skerrit said they are interested in launching new ventures and investments in the Caribbean in agriculture, renewable energy, tourism and infrastructural development.
At the summit, he also raised the issue of climate change and climate financing.
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