Politics

South African Envoy lobbies CARICOM for African Diaspora Summit

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – South Africa’s Special Envoy to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been lobbying regional governments to attend the African Diaspora Summit next year.

Her Excellency Mathu Joyini, who attended last week’s Caribbean Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting in St. Kitts, told the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister (CUOPM), that South Africa looks forward to hosting a CARICOM Mission.

“Of course CARICOM has been a partner with us from the very first Diaspora that was held in Jamaica and we are willing to renew the partnership to prepare for the next summit in 2012,” said Joyini, adding that the relationship with South Africa and CARICOM is a good one.

“In fact we are looking at hosting a CARICOM Mission in South Africa and as we look forward, we would like to look at the relations between CARICOM and the African Union (AU) because we are here also representing the African Union. The Diaspora Conference will be hosted by the African Union in South Africa,” said Ambassador Joyini.

The communiqué issued after the Meeting of Foreign Ministers said “COFCOR expressed appreciation for South Africa’s support in promoting the interest of CARICOM in fora in which the Community was not represented. They also received an update from the Special Envoy on preparations for the African Diaspora Summit to be held in South Africa in 2012.”


South Africa’s Special Envoy to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Her Excellency Mathu Joyini (left) greets St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas following the opening ceremony of the recent Ministers of Caribbean Ministers of Foreign Affairs in St. Kitts. (Photo by Erasmus Williams)

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