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Consular Corps of Jamaica hosts successful Vin d’Honneur

Published:Sunday | March 23, 2025 | 9:53 PM
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From left: Robert Scott, Honorary Consul for Latvia; Dean of Consular Corps of Jamaica and Honorary Consul of Finland and Norway, Andrew Issa; Honorary Consul of Portugal, Paul Isaa; and Lisa Johnson, Honorary Consul of Costa Rica.
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From left: Robert Scott, Honorary Consul for Latvia; Dean of Consular Corps of Jamaica and Honorary Consul of Finland and Norway, Andrew Issa; Honorary Consul of Portugal, Paul Isaa; and Lisa Johnson, Honorary Consul of Costa Rica.
Kingdom of Norway Ambassador John Petter Opdahl shares a moment with cadets from the Caribbean Maritime University.
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Kingdom of Norway Ambassador John Petter Opdahl shares a moment with cadets from the Caribbean Maritime University.
From left: Gail Moss-Solomon, General Counsel & Chief Corporate Secretary at GraceKennedy Ltd.; Nicole Foga, Honorary Consul for Romania; Indera Persaud, Honorary Consul for Guyana; and Alveta Knight, Consul General for The Bahamas.
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From left: Gail Moss-Solomon, General Counsel & Chief Corporate Secretary at GraceKennedy Ltd.; Nicole Foga, Honorary Consul for Romania; Indera Persaud, Honorary Consul for Guyana; and Alveta Knight, Consul General for The Bahamas.
From left: Christopher Issa, owner of S Hotel and Honorary Consul of Slovakia; Yodit Hylton, Honorary Consul of Ethiopia; Tamara Hill, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka; and Alveta Knight, Consul General for The Bahamas.
Contributed
From left: Christopher Issa, owner of S Hotel and Honorary Consul of Slovakia; Yodit Hylton, Honorary Consul of Ethiopia; Tamara Hill, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka; and Alveta Knight, Consul General for The Bahamas.
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Consular Corps of Jamaica (CCJ), in partnership with the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, and the Jamaica Manufacturers Association, hosted a highly successful Vin d’Honneur at the Spanish Court Hotel on March 12.

Main sponsors of the event were CB Group, Island Car Rental and Rainforest Caribbean. This CCJ Vin d’Honneur was part of the broader Diplomatic Week activities, which are traditionally organised biennially by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.

The event brought together approximately 60 resident and non-resident diplomats accredited to Jamaica, providing a unique opportunity for them to engage with a broad range of leaders from Jamaica’s private sector.

The event facilitated discussions and explorations of commercial, trade, and investment opportunities between the visiting dignitaries and local business leaders.

Diplomats and businesspersons alike shared that they valued the format of the event that facilitated networking and that beneficial contacts were made that could lead to new commercial agreements.

Andrew Issa, the new Dean of the Consular Corps of Jamaica and Honorary Consul General of Norway and Finland, expressed his delight with the event, stating, “It was an absolute pleasure to host this gathering. We are confident that the connections made will lead to significant trade and investment opportunities for Jamaica.”

The guests were treated to The Blue Nile Ethiopian coffee courtesy of the Ethiopian consulate as well as a display of a set of celebratory posters from Poland honouring Polish women and marking 50 years of bilateral relations between Jamaica and Poland.

Diplomatic Week is an annual event that plays a crucial role in strengthening international partnerships and fostering economic growth. This year’s event underscored Jamaica’s commitment to engaging with both traditional and non-traditional partners to advance its development goals.

Honorary consuls represent countries with no physical diplomatic presence in a location. They play a vital role in promoting trade and cultural exchange, as well as providing consular services.

The Consular Corps of Jamaica, which was established in 1948 as the umbrella organisation for honorary consuls in the country, continues to play an important role in promoting diplomatic relations and economic cooperation between Jamaica and the international community.