Jamaica and Japan encouraging economic partnership

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade of Jamaica will proceed to partner with the Japanese government to respond to the economic challenges caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.

Wednesday, 21st July 2021

Jamaica: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade of Jamaica will proceed to partner with the Japanese government to respond to the economic challenges caused by the global coronavirus pandemic. This was disclosed while a virtual press briefing held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Kingston on Tuesday, following the 1st official working visit of the Foreign Minister of Japan, Toshimitsu Motegi. Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, stated that it was agreed that economic cooperation via increased focus on trade and investment and access to financing would boost sustainable recovery. “We’ve also discussed matters of global importance and emphasised the need for the international community to ensure equitable access to vaccines, especially for developing countries,” she said. Minister Johnson Smith pointed out that the Japan-Jamaica Partnership has bolstered the country’s efforts to manage the social & economic effects of the pandemic, through grant aids given for medical supplies over the island. Meantime, Motegi said his government is considering cooperation in the areas of environmental security, disaster risk reduction to overcome vulnerabilities for small island states and attaining sustainable development. “We also pay attention to the special economic zone that Jamaica has been promoting, and I hope that it will lead to strengthening our bilateral economic relationship,” he stated. Senator Johnson Smith noted that they also discussed the technical cooperation programme that helps to support energy proficiency, maritime security, training and scholarships, tourism promotion and sports. Motegi in ceremony responding to global challenges such as climate change is also essential, because both Japan & Jamaica remain devoted to the Paris Agreement. “While we remain to deepen South-South cooperation, we, hence, value our understandings with more industrialised nations, which amplify our concerns in important fora such as the G7 and G20, a role which Japan remains to play in its advocacy within the international community,” Minster Smith added. The Paris Agreement is a legally necessary international treaty on climate change with a goal to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.