Israel renews commitment to support CARICOM development

 As the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) accredits a new Israeli envoy, the Middle-Eastern state has reaffirmed its commitment to assist CARICOM to achieve its ideals.

His Excellency Mordehai Amihai-Bivas, Plenipotentiary Representative of the State of Israel to CARICOM, speaking at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters on Thursday 25 February said, “The objectives of the Caribbean Community are noble ones. They are centred on people: full employment, development, health and education.

The true success of any nation will be measured by its ability to deliver on these goals, and the Caribbean Community has focused its efforts on helping its members achieve them. Israel has proven successes on all those fronts and is willing to share its experience and know-how with developing nations of the region.”

Describing relations between CARICOM and Israel as “natural” he said through the Israel Agency for International Development Cooperation, dozens of professionals from the Region have advanced their training in agriculture, healthcare, education, alternative energy and sustainable development, over the past year. Israeli will expand that cooperation with entrepreneurial training for young people in four Member States, he said.

The new Israeli envoy added that this intervention is driven by the hunger for knowledge and opportunity among CARICOM youths, and Israel stands as a ready partner.

He acknowledged the existential threat of climate change faced by CARICOM, noting that small islands states are affected by rising sea-levels, reduced rainfall and strong hurricanes. This reality, however, he noted, presented a unique opportunity for Member States to become leaders in sustainable development.

On the political front he said: “the recent terror attacks in Europe, the Middle East and the United States, and the ongoing tragedy in Syria and other parts of the Middle East, demonstrate that terrorism and bigotry know no borders and seek only to impose a new dark age on humanity.

It doesn’t matter if you are a small or large nation; if you are Christian, Jewish or Muslim; if you are located in Europe, Asia or the Caribbean – as long as we share the same values of freedom and tolerance, and respect for life and human dignity, we are compelled to confront those who want to destroy our civilization.  The strong, unified front of civilized nations, to which both Israel and the Caribbean Community belong, will help ensure that the values of freedom and tolerance will prevail.”

Mr. Amihai-Bivas is the second Israeli Ambassador to be accredited to CARICOM. The Middle Eastern  country enjoys warm diplomatic relations with all Member States of the Caribbean Community.