Brussels, 12 June 2023
Today, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, starts a visit to Barbados (12-13 June), Guyana (14 June) and Suriname (15 June) to discuss with government representatives, stakeholders and civil society the path towards the upcoming COP28 UN Climate Change Conference, as well as latest developments at national level on emission reductions, climate adaptation and biodiversity protection.
Upon his arrival in Barbados this evening, the Executive Vice-President will meet with Prime Minister Mia Mottley. Tomorrow, he will participate in a tour on climate resilience and vulnerability hosted by the Prime Minister and in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie D. Symmonds. The tour will include a visit to the national project HOPE (Home Ownership Providing Energy) that offers affordable, energy efficient, hurricane resilient homes for first-time home buyers, as well as a visit to Walkers Reserve, a sand quarry undergoing a regeneration process into a natural reserve. The tour will continue to the East Coast of Barbados where the Executive Vice-President and Prime Minister Mottley will hold a press point at the Community Center in Bathsheba, which will be available on EbS afterwards here. In the afternoon, he will visit Martins Bay and exchange views with the local community and representatives of the national emergency and disaster management institutions on the challenges and opportunities of climate adaptation.
On Wednesday, Executive Vice-President Timmermans will be in Guyana to discuss climate policy, carbon credits, forest management and biodiversity protection with government and civil society representatives. During the day, he will meet with President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and hold a bilateral meeting with Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo focused on biodiversity and the energy transition. In the morning, he will visit the Iwokrama Forest together with Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, to discuss with representatives of the government and the Iwokrama Research Centre, followed by a guided tour and trail walk in the forest. In the afternoon, he will meet with civil society working on environment and forestry, as well as with the Assistant Secretary-General of CARICOM. At the end of the day, he will participate in a signing ceremony on an EU support programme for mangroves, followed by a press moment.
On Thursday, Executive Vice-President Timmermans will travel to Suriname where he will meet with President Chandrikapersad Santokhi. The meeting will be followed by a press moment for local press. In the afternoon, he will visit the Palulu Camp, which is focused on forest management and biodiversity. During the visit, he will be accompanied by Minister of Spatial Planning and Environment, Marciano Dasai, Minister of Land Policy and Forest Management, Dinotha Vorswijk, as well as representatives of international organisations and NGOs, including UNDP and WWF.
Source – EU Commission