Jesse Norman | UK wants to be a partner of choice for Caribbean countries

The death last month of Queen Elizabeth II, who deftly guided the British Empire through its evolution into the Commonwealth, was a moment of profound significance for both the UK and the English-speaking Caribbean.

King Charles III will continue his mother’s legacy as head of the Commonwealth.

But while we in Britain look forward to the coronation of our new King next spring, we naturally recognise and respect the fact that some of the eight Caribbean countries where he is head of state may choose a different constitutional path.

It is for every nation to forge its own destiny and decide its head of state.

Sixty years after independence, what will always remain constant are the bonds of friendship and family that unite Jamaica and Britain, and our partnership within the Commonwealth. The UK is committed to renewing and enhancing this relationship for the century ahead, based on our shared values of freedom, democracy and inclusion.

There are almost one million Britons of Jamaican descent living in the UK and there is no area of public life that has not been enriched by their contribution.

Equally, the UK wants to be a partner of choice for Caribbean countries and play its part in championing the interests of small island developing states (SIDS).

That is why I am visiting the Caribbean this week to launch initiatives we hope will make a material difference to the lives of its people. This deepening partnership will be marked by close cooperation on the key areas of climate, security and trade. The first will be the launch of the UK Government’s development finance institution, British International Investment (BII), in the Caribbean. The BII is a key part of our ambition to mobilise up to £8 billion a year of public and private sector investment by 2025 across the developing world. It is no coincidence that the launch event took place in Kingston – at the heart of Caribbean business development.

POTENTIAL TO EXPAND

While the UK-Caribbean trade relationship is already worth almost £3 billion, there is potential to expand this much further. BII will launch a new wave of investment in clean and green infrastructure and use the expertise of the City of London to bolster financial institutions and businesses, create jobs, and boost trade in this dynamic, entrepreneurial region. All investments will operate under core principles of transparency, reliability, sustainability and respect for property rights.

Furthermore, with Caribbean nations on the frontline of the planet’s greatest threat in climate change, we are supporting a first-of-its kind scheme to insure water and sanitation utilities against natural disasters. This will reduce individual governments’ exposure to the costs of storms and floods and help fund rapid repairs to essential infrastructure.

Earlier this year, we published our vision to support SIDS to become resilient to economic and climate shocks by 2030. This is a bold ambition, but we are already working to improve their access to concessional and climate finance and reduce the bureaucracy that holds back smaller countries.

We also want to improve the quality and impact of development support. Aid for small states is often fragmented, badly coordinated and poorly aligned with government priorities. To address this, we are seeking to provide honest, reliable financing and development assistance that avoids low and middle-income countries being trapped into debt.

With Vladimir Putin’s war of imperialism in Ukraine triggering a global energy and food security crisis, countries sharing the values of democracy, human rights and respect for sovereignty need to work together more closely than ever.

That is why the expanding and evolving Commonwealth – with our Caribbean allies at the heart – is more essential than ever as a bulwark of liberty and peaceful prosperity.

Through these ties, our shared history and our offer of green, reliable finance, the UK will remain a partner which Jamaica and the wider Caribbean can trust.

Jesse Norman is the minister for the Americas and overseas territories in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.