[www.inewsguyana.com] – Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma is set to arrive in Guyana on Saturday, June 27 for a three-day visit, to gain a clear understanding of the region’s concerns and priorities.
According to a press statement from the local Commonwealth office, Sharma will call on President David Granger, and some of the members of the coalition Government. He will also meet with the Speaker of Parliament and other key stakeholders in the country.
The trip to the region and consultation with heads of government is part of the Secretary-General’s preparations for the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in Malta on 27-29 November 2015.
The Secretary-General will also address key issues affecting small states in the region, including ocean governance, climate change, education and youth empowerment, debt, trade, natural disaster management and access to development finance.
“The aim is to meet with as many Commonwealth leaders in the Caribbean as possible to ensure their concerns and priorities are reflected in the CHOGM agenda,” Sharma is quoted as saying.
He also stated that “in addition to our advocacy work to raise the Caribbean’s concerns and needs on the global stage, the Commonwealth Secretariat is leading a number of cutting-edge initiatives that offer practical solutions to the challenges facing the Caribbean. For example, our debt management software, which is used in 60 countries worldwide, manages a global portfolio of more than US$ 2.5 trillion of public debt, including approximately US$ 50 billion in the Caribbean.”
