THE advantage of partnering with other countries was tangibly evidenced yesterday when the newly-accredited South African Republic plenipotentiary representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Maureen Modiselle, committed to representing the community at the level of the G20.Secretary-General of CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, accepted the South African representative’s letters of credence at a simple ceremony at the CARICOM Headquarters in Guyana.
Modiselle underscored the importance of unity, particularly as it relates to representation on large platforms. According to her, united countries are better positioned to defend combined interests and facilitate development for the benefit of its people.

QUOTE: ‘There are several areas where South Africa’s voice at the G20 will be invaluable to the Caribbean Community’ – Ambassador LaRocque

The South African representative added that the inroads made to date with the process of regional integration are commendable. She also assured of South Africa’s “cooperation and loyalty” in promoting the ideals and objectives of the Community.
Modiselle lauded CARICOM for the strides the Region had taken on its path to growth and sustainable development and advancement of its people.
FULL POTENTIAL
The Secretary-General welcomed the newly-accredited representative’s assurances and stressed that deepened collaborations will lead to both South Africa and CARICOM Member States realising the full socio-economic potential of relations.
LaRocque stated that there are several areas where South Africa’s voice at the G20 will be invaluable to the Caribbean Community.
“We both recognise that Crime and Security, the negative impact of a protracted global, financial and economic crisis on development, and the need to reform global governance structures are but some of the defining challenges of our time. To confront them, it is necessary to strengthen partnerships with like-minded countries such as we are doing here today with South Africa,” he said.

The Secretary-General noted too that another problem on which the Commonwealth has placed emphasis is in respect of the debt and financing challenges facing small states.

He said that, “Many CARICOM Member States are Small Highly-Indebted Middle-Income Countries and are graduated out of access to concessionary financing from International Financial Institutions and other multilateral agencies due to the flawed GDP-based criteria. It is critical that avenues be opened for renewed access to concessionary financing given our high level of economic vulnerability which contributes in large measure to our high level of indebtedness.”
According to LaRocque, South Africa’s strong support for positions taken by the Community in international fora on issues of importance to us, such as Climate Change and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), is highly appreciated.
He said, “Your accreditation today, along with the fact that four of our Member States have diplomatic missions in South Africa, is testimony to our mutual desire to carry our relations to a higher plane.
“We are building a platform from which to strengthen our bilateral cooperation which could be enhanced by more regular and structured political interface. This would lead the way to cooperation in a range of areas, including the fostering of trade and investment between our respective private sectors, tourism and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.”
The Secretary-General maintained that Modiselle’s accreditation is indicative of the continued and genuine desire of the Government of South Africa to forge deeper ties with the Caribbean Community, to have dialogue and cooperate with the body, to pursue a partnership based on mutual interest.
South Africa is the latest country to appoint a plenipotentiary representative to CARICOM.
To date several countries have appointed a plenipotentiary representative to the Caribbean Community. Among the member states who are accredited are Antigua, Barbados, Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Slovenia.
Guyana plenipotentiary representative is the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Elisabeth Harper.
(The G20 groups the EU and 19 countries — Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Britain, and the US. The G20 economies account for 90 percent of global output, 80 percent of world trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population.)