Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697639224327.pdf (Bahamas)
Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Dean of the Honorary Consular Corps Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps Members of the Honorary Consular Corps Special Guests Ladies and Gentlemen Friends, Good Afternoon, A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds.

This is the aspiration of the pragmatic Foreign Policy of The Bahamas, and the lessons from the 1. opportunities of interaction in the global arena despite its many challenges.
These challenges include, not least, the economic and financial crises with which a majority of States continues to grapple, including The Bahamas, and, the “hot spots” and “hot issues” from which no State is ultimately immune in an interdependent world.

This is, therefore, the backdrop of this year for my reflections with you, on the focus, conduct and promulgation of the Foreign Policy of The Bahamas for 2011.

I shall also this time attempt to be a bit ambitious and reveal some hopes for the future.
Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, Diplomatic and Consular Representation 2 I shall begin, however, with an update on an overview of The Bahamas Diplomatic and Consular Representation.

We bid farewell to various members of the resident Diplomatic Corps, namely Ambassadors Guggenheim of Brazil, HU of China, Ponce of Cuba, and, Avant of the United States.
We have had the pleasure of welcoming to the Diplomatic Community, Resident Ambassadors Veras, HU and Guzman of Brazil, China and Cuba, respectively.

We look forward to the continuation of our productive relationship and the advancement of our mutual interests with these most recent, and with you all.
Among non-Resident Ambassadors, credentials were received for Representatives of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Ghana, Ireland, the State of Israel, the Republic of Namibia, the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of South Africa, and, the Kingdom of Sweden.

We look forward to the replacements for non- Resident Ambassadors Manik of the Republic Indonesia and Rueda of the United Mexican States, who have also completed their tours of duty.
The Diplomatic List of total Ambassadors accredited to The Bahamas now stands at one hundred and five (105).

3.

It is anticipated that there will be new accreditations in 2012 from: the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Delegation of the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Indonesia, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Swiss Confederation and Barbados.
The Bahamas has also the pleasure of welcoming new members to the Honorary Consular Corps: Mr. Isacc Chester Cooper, representing the Slovak Republic, and, Mr. Gonzalo Bolisay, representing the Republic of the Philippines.

As regards International Organization representation, Dr. Merle Lewis, who completed her term of office in July, has been replaced by Dr. Gerarda Eijkemans.

We certainly wish to welcome Dr. Ejkemans.

4.

There have been developments with Bahamian representation abroad: H.E.
Paul Farquharson, High Commissioner of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was appointed non-resident Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic.

Incidentally, The Bahamas is also in the process of upgrading our Honorary Consulate there to that of a career Consular 1 Mission.

H.E.
H.E.

Elma Campbell, Ambassador of The Bahamas to the People‟s Republic of China, was named non-resident Ambassador to the People‟s Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore and the Republic of Korea.

Ms. Rhoda Jackson and Mrs. Rhonda Chipman-Johnson were named Consuls-General in Miami and New York, respectively.

The Bahamas also named Honorary Consuls to the Kingdom of Denmark and the Kingdom of Norway.
International Meetings International Meetings, multilaterally, regionally and sub-regionally, were of particular import for 5.

The Bahamas, as well as the international community, this year.

6.

Multilaterally, there was the General Assembly of the United Nations at its Sixty-Sixth Regular Session in New York, and, the biennial Twenty-Second Meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM), in Perth, Australia.

I had the privilege of leading The Bahamas Delegation at both Meetings.
In respect of the former, once again I had the honour of delivering the National Statement during the United Nations General Debate.

The Sixty-Sixth Session was historic for the world and our sub- Region.

This was because, arguably the most politically significant development at this Session was the formal request of the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas for full United Nations membership for Palestine.

7.
7.

Of note in the multilateral context, was the re-election of The Bahamas, 25th November, 2011, to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Category „C‟.

This category comprises twenty (20) IMO States elected on the basis of special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council would ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world.
Category „A‟, limited to ten (10) States, refers to the States with the largest interest in providing shipping services.

Category „B‟, limited to ten (10) States, as well, refers to the States with the largest interest in international seaborne trade.

I also believe it is noteworthy that in the context of maritime safety, The Bahamas remains on the 8.

White List of every Port State Control (PSC) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
For the Caribbean sub-Region, the historic achievement, during this UN General Assembly, was 9. the convening of the High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), 19th to 20th September, 2011.
This Meeting originated in a mandate of the Caribbean Heads of Government to the CARICOM Ambassadors/Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, arising out of their September 2007 Declaration of Port-of-Spain, “Uniting to Stop the Epidemic of Chronic NCDs” and the “Healthy Caribbean Coalition” strategy document.

The High-Level Meeting was attended by more than thirty (30) Heads of State and Government, and, at least one hundred (100) other senior Ministers and experts.
The Meeting adopted a Political Declaration which for the first time elevated and prioritized, as a national strategy, a multi-pronged approach by Governments, Industry and Civil Society, to set up by 2013, the plans needed to curb the risk factors underpinning the four (4) categories of NCDs, namely: cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic lung diseases, and, diabetes.

10.

At the High-Level Meeting on NCDs, The Bahamas was represented by the Rt.

Hon.
Hon.

Prime Minister, whose presence emphasized the importance which The Bahamas has placed on the NCD epidemic, given its prevalence, unfortunately, in our society.

The Bahamas, consequently, remains active in efforts to engage international partners, such as the Pan-American and World Health Organizations to combat the deleterious impact of these diseases.

Other High-Level Meetings prioritized by the United Nations during the current Sixty-Sixth UN 11.
General Assembly Session, were: the High-Level Meeting on the theme, “Addressing Desertification, Land 2 Degradation and Drought in the Context of Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication”; the High- Level Meeting on Durban +10 Review; and, the High-Level Meeting on Nuclear Safety and Security.

In the margins of the General Assembly, The Bahamas Delegation also participated in various 12.
Meetings, which primarily took stock of recent developments and were a major stage in preparing for significant, upcoming, global and regional negotiations, such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the Seventeenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), commonly known as the Kyoto Protocol, and for the G-20.
These side Meetings included: the Fourteenth Informal Consultations of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR); the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Ministerial Meeting; the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting; the CARICOM UN Security Council Resolution 1540 Programme-University of Georgia-Centre for International Trade Statistics (CITS) Exchange; the Informal Meeting of the Global Governance Group (3G); and the African Union Ministerial Conference on the Diaspora.

13.
13.

At the UN General Assembly, I also had Bilateral Meetings with the Foreign Ministers of the Kingdom of Bhutan, Georgia and the Republic of Slovenia, dealing essentially, despite general exchanges, with requests for Bahamas support of their candidatures to important UN Bodies.

14.
Also, in the wider context of the UN‟s international security agenda to prohibit weapons of mass destruction and to cast a universal „safety net‟ for, and, international vigilance and prosecution of, perpetrators of terrorism, The Bahamas participated in the Twelfth Regional and Thirteenth Annual International Meetings of National Authorities under the UN Chemical Weapons Convention, organized by the Technical Secretariat of the UN Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), in Buenos Aires, 27th to 29th September, and, The Hague, 25th to 26th November, respectively.
15.

Still in the multilateral context, I headed The Bahamas Delegation in the stead of the Rt.

Hon.

Prime Minister, to the Twenty-Second Meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM), in Perth, Australia, whose theme was: “Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience.” However, the aspirations of the Perth CHOGM were best summarized by Prime Minister Julia Gillard as: renewal, reform and resilience.
The main strategy to achieve these aspirations resonated from one hundred and one (101) recommendations of an Eminent Persons Group (EPG) in their Report: “A Commonwealth of Peoples: Time for Urgent Reform”.

The Report‟s most far-reaching yet controversial recommendations centered on: improved human rights responses, more engaged civil society partnership, and, more effective, efficient and measurable governance.
The majority of the EPG recommendations were subject to further national consultations for final decision in 2012.

The major outcomes of CHOGM 2011 were: the CHOGM 2011 Communique; the Perth Declaration on Food Security Principles; the mentioned Eminent Persons Group Report; strengthening of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), analogous to the UN Security Council; the launch of the new web-portal offering a single window, to connect Commonwealth citizens, aptly called “Commonwealth Connects”.
This new gateway to information, news, events and resources from dozens of Commonwealth organizations and associations will be supported by a powerful cross-website search engine.

In addition to hosting a secure area for professionals across the Commonwealth to network, collaborate and share information, knowledge, good practice and experiences in real time through a „social workplace‟ feature, it will also support interactive features such as blogs and other social networking capability.
This is a significant development given that the Commonwealth is made up of the world‟s largest and smallest, the richest and poorest, with a total population size of two billion citizens of all faiths and ethnicities, over half of whom are twenty-five (25) years or under.

Its Member Countries span six (6) Continents and Oceans from Africa (19 States) to Asia (8 States), the Americas (3 States), the Caribbean (10 States), Europe (3 States) and the South Pacific (11 States).
Yet, it is a voluntary Association of fifty-four (54) Countries that support each other and work together, as a family - - a camaraderie which I witnessed personally - - towards shared goals in democracy and development.

3 The last outcome of note during CHOGM was the re-appointment of the current Secretary-General, 16.

Indian Diplomat, Kamalesh Kharma for another four (4) years in office.
CHOGM 2011 was also the opportunity for side Meetings, at the level of Foreign Ministers, 17. between major Third States and groups and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) such as: CARICOM and South Africa; CARICOM and Australia; CARICOM and the UK; and Foreign Ministers of Small Island Developing States with Australia.

These Meetings resulted in discussions for deepened and more responsive co-operation.
The Delegation also conducted two (2) Bilateral Meetings, one at the level of Foreign Minister with Singapore, and the other with the Secretary to the Cabinet of New Zealand.

The Meeting with Singapore, amongst other issues informed of the Government‟s intention to appoint a non- Resident Ambassador to The Bahamas, other Caribbean States and to the CARICOM Secretariat.
The Meeting with the Secretary to the Cabinet requested support for New Zealand‟s offer to co-ordinate the review and implementation of the proposed reforms to the British Monarchy by the „Realm‟ Countries, that is, those with the Queen of England as the Head of State.

18.

The philosophy and commitment of the Commonwealth was also exemplified by featured parallel events, such as: the Commonwealth Youth Forum; the Commonwealth Business Forum and the Commonwealth Peoples Forum.
Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, Regional Meetings 19.

I would wish to highlight three (3) regional Bodies: the Organization of American States (OAS), the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA), and, the European-Latin American and Caribbean (EU-LAC) Forum.

The Organization of American States (OAS) Within the context of the OAS, The Bahamas participated in its Forty-First General Assembly which 20. was held in El Salvador, 5th to 7th June, 2011.
The Assembly afforded participants an opportunity to address matters of particular interest to the Hemisphere, including Women‟s Issues, Security, and, the Situation in Haiti.
The Bahamas also had occasion to participate in the Third Meeting of Ministers for Public Security in the Americas (MISPA III), in Trinidad and Tobago, 17th to 18th November, 2011, during which discussions centered around the concept of police management, one of five (5) pillars outlined in the Commitment to Public Security in the Americas, adopted at MISPA I, in 2008.

21.

A few weeks ago, I headed a Delegation on behalf of the Rt.

Hon.
Hon.

Prime Minister, to the Inaugural Meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), in Venezuela, 2nd to 3rd December, 2011.

The Region, through this Body, hopes to realize the goals of improved south-south cooperation outlined at the first Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean (CALC), held in 2009.

22.

What I have just summarized is but the tip of the iceberg regarding Bahamas/OAS relations.
Below this „tip‟ is the amazing work of a small but dedicated National Office under the quiet but effective leadership of one of your Colleagues, Resident Representative Juliet Mallet Phillip whom I salute.

The public knows the Office well for the yearly undergraduate and post-graduate scholarships which it awards; this year three (3) graduate and one (1) undergraduate.
However, over the past twelve (12) months, from January to the present, each month the OAS has been financing professional exposure, and, courses, sometimes more than one (1) per month to Bahamian leaders in the Public Sector, from senior Officials, Directors, Permanent Secretaries, Ministers, to even myself!

Subjects for professional development and skills refinement range from social development, energy, education, leadership, investment and competitiveness to security in its broadest sense.
For example, security on land such as in relation to 4 Tourism and major Events planning; maritime security; aviation security; cyber-space security; and intelligence.

Thus, as just indicated, the National Office focus for this year has been on co-operation with and tapping the expertise of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE), reflecting the special role of this Agency for The Bahamas at this time as rotating Chair of CICTE.

23.
23.

The OAS National Office is also the executing organ for the Inter-American Agency for Co- operation (FEMCIDI).

Assistance from this Body has been concentrated this year on the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation, and, the Ministry of Education.
In the case of the Corporation, the focus has been on building national expertise to design and administer heritage and historical tours by identifying historical buildings, cataloguing them, generating literature thereon, generating tours and training for conduct of tours featuring this heritage.

The Project from the Ministry of Education entitled, “Journey to Success” is presently under review by the OAS.
My Ministry is an integral part of this process of regional co-operation, as my Ministry, through its Technical Assistance Unit and the Permanent Mission of The Bahamas to the OAS, which is the second major role played by the Embassy of The Bahamas in Washington, are indispensible liaison contacts between the substantive Agencies and the National OAS Office, as well as between the Permanent Mission and FEMCIDI at OAS Headquarters in Washington.

Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, 24.
Some intellectuals have characterized Latin America and the Caribbean as hopelessly duplicative, fragmented and inherently divisive or incompatible.

While there may be some elements of truth in these criticisms, in general, important political and economic indicators, such as democracy and Gross Domestic Product, place this Region, more often than not, ahead of the world average.

The Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) 25.
The Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) is a regional inter-governmental organization comprising twenty-eight (28) Countries in the Region of which The Bahamas is a Member, provides a forum for consultation, co-ordination and adoption of common positions and strategies on economic issues on the international agenda, informed by well researched, and considered briefs.

It also fosters co-operation and integration.


The Latin American Council is the principal decision-making organ of the System and comprises all Member States.

The Bahamas was represented at the last regular Council Meeting at SELA‟s Headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, 19th to 21st October, 2011.
On the initiative of my Ministry, at the Council Meeting in 2009, SELA funded in conjunction with CARICOM and the Government of Spain, the First Regional Seminar on Tourism: “The Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Tourism Development in the Caribbean Region”, 31st August to 1st September, 2011.
Very practical, responsive and sustainable recommendations emanated from the Regional Seminar, including that “the CARICOM Secretariat and SELA should explore the possibility of co-ordinating similar symposiums at least once every two (2) years.” 5 Gross domestic product, constant prices US dollars (all regions)1 Region/Country United States Canada Middle East and North Africa Sub – Saharan Africa G7 European Union Eurozone Newly Industrialized Asian Economies** Year GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth 2010 2.834 2011* 2.758 2012* 2.872 2013* GDP 1,885.37 2,128.71 2,278.31 2,434.81 Developing Asia*** Emerging and Developing GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth 9.53 8.408 8.362 8.48 9,426.13 10,465.76 11,516.36 12,777.92 7.253 6.54 6.485 6.536 1 *Indicates projected estimates by the IMF **Hong Kong SAR, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan Province of China.
*** 27 Asian countries minus S. Korea & Japan Note: GDP is indicated in billions of US dollars.

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, April 2011, Retrieved from: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2011/01/weodata/index.aspx .

6 countries LAC World GDP GDP Growth GDP GDP Growth GDP 21,378.25 24,287.25 26,516.60 28,774.27 6.08 4.681 4.154 3.912 4,832.27 5,488.09 5,861.69 6,213.36 5.01 4.401 4.513 4.54 62,909.27 68,652.41 72,485.81 76,467.34 26.
The active involvement, therefore, of The Bahamas in regional and hemispheric relations is not mis-placed.

Indeed, this involvement also contributes to regional security and thus to a stable environment for continued economic expansion as has been demonstrated by the Copa Airlines success.
For these reasons as well, my Ministry has already commenced the Inter-Ministry/Agency consultations for the National Brief for the Sixth Summit of the Americas, scheduled for 14th to 15th April, 2012, in Colombia, in order for the National Delegation to be best prepared to contribute to Latin American and Caribbean progress, and to benefit from Latin best practice which has already identified, for example, the “Hunger Free Latin American” programme based on comprehensive national integration across sectors: policy, economic, social, civic.
The European Union-Latin American and Caribbean (EU-LAC) Summit 27.
The biennial European Union-Latin American and Caribbean (EU-LAC) Summit started in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 28th to 29th June, 1999, with the theme: “Strengthening of relations between both regions, in the political, economic and co-operation areas, representing the pillars of a strategic association, based on shared values, on the deep cultural heritage which links both regions and on the wealth and diversity of their respective cultural expressions.” The next Summit is scheduled for Chile in 2012, with the theme: “Alliance for Sustainable Development – Providing Quality Investment both Socially and Environmentally.” The EU-LAC relationship has been characterized by achievements and challenges.
For example, while there has been negotiation of free trade agreements and economic partnerships, there is a certain discord between the two (2) Regional Entities deriving from the relatively unified European Union and the still nascent attempts at cohesion in the Latin American and Caribbean Region.
The Bahamas, nonetheless, has received some tangible benefit from the relationship, such as: post-graduate scholarships in diplomacy and international relations from the Diplomatic School of Spain; language training exchanges between the College of The Bahamas and Spain; and, participation in the EU-LAC Drug Treatment City Partnership.

Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, Sub-Regional Relations: CARICOM and The Bahamas 28.
As you are aware CARICOM matters are now assigned in my Ministry to the Honourable Sidney Collie, Member of Parliament for the Blue Hills Constituency, who was appointed Plenipotentiary Representative to the Caribbean Community, effective February 2011.

High Commissioner Collie is stationed at the Ministry‟s Headquarters in the Goodman‟s Bay Corporate Centre.
The Caribbean Community has once again had an active year, considering its roles in the NCDs 29. initiative at the UN, Climate Change negotiations, regional security initiatives and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), on which negotiations have gained momentum.

In addition, given the fragility of economies since the global recession of 2008, the Community has also focused heavily on the health of global finance.

7 30.

The Community also continues its efforts to improve good governance.
It has, for example, entered the final phase of its Civil Society Project, having met in Suriname, 7th to 8th November, 2011, to discuss a structure for improved interaction among decision-making organs and bodies of CARICOM, Governments and civil society.

Civil Society Bahamas was assessed as part of the Project last year.

CARICOM, as indicated, has forged relationships with Third Countries in an effort not only to 31. expand its trade and commerce, but also to foster greater co-operation in key fora.
To this end, the Community participated in two (2) Summits, the CARICOM-Central American Integration System (SICA), in El Salvador, 17th to 19th August, 2011 and CARICOM-Cuba, in Trinidad and Tobago, 7th to 8th December, 2011.

Moreover, 23rd June, 2011, there was the High-Level Meeting between CARICOM and the United States of America, in Jamaica.

All of these Meetings were attended by Ministry Officials.

CARICOM achievements during this year, involving in many instances significant contribution by 32.
The Bahamas, include, in addition to the mentioned leadership regarding NCDs at the United Nations: wielding influence in international fora, to respond to the increasing pressures on Caribbean economies from external events such as adjustment to increased food import bills, energy costs and inconsistent supplies of energy.
This influence, for example, has caused food security to evolve from a sector specific issue to a permanent priority issue at all levels, and, for renewable resources of energy to no longer be the purview of environmentalists and select seminars, but become a public policy imperative.

Additionally, CARICOM with Africa spearheaded the establishment at the UN of a Permanent Memorial to honour the Victims of Slavery and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
Lastly, CARICOM collaboration and co-ordination as a unified bloc often facilitated the Region‟s (including The Bahamas‟) successful bid for candidatures to International Bodies, as well as for the tabling and adoption of significant UN Resolutions.

33.

Nevertheless, on-going challenges relate to Haiti, and, the rescinding of the United Kingdom‟s Airline Passenger Duty (APD) on airline travel to the Caribbean Region.
The Region must not only be vigilant regarding adherence of the international donor community to pledges made for Haiti, but also redouble its own efforts for contributions to the CARICOM-Haiti Fund to facilitate Regional Private Sector participation in reconstruction.
In the case of the Airline Passenger Duty, the upcoming CARICOM-UK Forum, 20th to 22nd January, 2012, in Grenada, will provide another opportunity for the Region to underscore that, as the most tourism-dependent region in the world, in the context of a prolonged global economic recession, the added imposition of the APD would be a serious impediment to the recovery of Caribbean destinations already negatively affected by the global recession.
However, the CARICOM Meeting of Foreign Ministers with the UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague in the margins of CHOGM- 2011, referred to earlier, left the distinct impression that, finally, the United Kingdom Side appreciated just how vulnerable Caribbean economies were to external shocks or forces, delivered separately, and certainly if together, could provoke a domino effect with disastrous consequences for national and regional stability.
In addition to the CARICOM Meeting with the United Kingdom, other ministerial Meetings with 34. significant Regional Partners on the horizon for CARICOM in 2012, are those with Mexico and Chile.

35.

I wish, finally, with respect to CARICOM, to highlight that on 15th August, 2011, CARICOM welcomed its seventh Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, pursuant to his selection by the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM on 21st July, 2011.
The Bahamas has every confidence that Ambassador LaRocque will skillfully guide the Organization into its next stage of development.

8 Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, Meetings Hosted by The Bahamas In addition to participation abroad, The Bahamas had the privilege of hosting various Workshops, 36.

Meetings and Conferences.


37 The Bahamas hosted the Second Caribbean-US Security Cooperation Dialogue, 10th November, 2011, at which participants discussed the progress made under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and the future direction of the partnership.

The United States continues to be an active partner with The Bahamas in terms of security and we look forward to deeper co-operation and continued capacity- building under the auspices of this emerging CBSI arrangement.

38.
38.

The Bahamas was also privileged to host the 3000-Delegates strong 2011 Caribbean HIV Conference, with the theme, “Strengthening Evidence to Achieve Sustainable Action”, held 18th to 21st November, 2011.

This mega-Conference highlighted the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Region, which possesses the world‟s second highest adult HIV prevalence.

Stakeholders were provided a forum to share information and best practices in an effort to strengthen joint efforts to combat the spread of HIV.
The Bahamas, regrettably, has the highest adult HIV prevalence in the Region, but has been lauded for her efforts to treat and combat the spread of HIV, particularly through the National HIV/AIDS Programme.

39.
39.

The Bahamas was fortunate to be a beneficiary of the support and expertise of the International Organization on Migration (IOM), which assisted The Bahamas, in conjunction with the United States Department of State, to stage a national Workshop on the Protection of Vulnerable Migrants, from 5th to 9th December, 2011, as part of the IOM‟s Protecting Vulnerable Migrants Caribbean Project.

40.
40.

The Bahamas was equally a beneficiary of international partnership with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to host the Regional Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation (OPRC) Seminar on Marine Pollution Readiness and Response related to Offshore Units and Regional Cooperation, held, 7th to 9th December, 2011.

The significance of this Seminar was to learn the lessons from the BP Oil Spill such that it would never be replicated in our waters or those of our Neighbors.

41.
41.

I have already referred to the “Regional Seminar on Tourism: Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME‟s) and Tourism Development in the Caribbean Region”, 31st August to 1st September, 2011, hosted by The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the SELA and CARICOM.

42.

The UN OPCW, in conjunction with CARICOM, also hosted in Nassau a CARICOM Regional Workshop on the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540, from 23rd to 24th June, 2011.
This Resolution represents one of the key strategies of the International Community to combat international terrorism.

The three (3) Conventions targeted by the Resolution, when implemented, prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery, including by establishing appropriate controls over related materials.

The Bahamas extends and records her gratitude to all the sponsors for facilitating the planning and 43. execution of these referenced Workshops.
9 Bilateral Meetings We also hosted various high-level Delegations from China: H.E.

WANG Lequan, Member of the 44.

Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee of the Central Committee; H. E. WANG Qishan, Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China; and H. E. YANG Jiechi, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

45.
45.

In addition, Officials of the Czech Republic, Arab Republic of Egypt, Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Chile, the Republic of Poland, the UK and the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), met with Ministry Officials.

Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, National Priority Areas 46.

I now turn to some national priority matters as I start to end my remarks.

Treaties and Agreements 47.


In addition to Agreements already in place with various Countries for visa waivers for up to three (3) months, The Bahamas finalized her Visa Waiver Agreements with Lichtenstein and Norway earlier this year.

More information on The Bahamas‟ visa requirements, as well as The Bahamas‟ Treaty List may be accessed via the Ministry‟s website, www.bahamas.gov.bs/foreign affaris/.
Maritime/Border Matters The signing, on 3rd October, 2011, of an Agreement between the Governments of The Bahamas 48. and Cuba, delimiting maritime borders, brought to an end over forty (40) years of intense negotiations.

The Bahamas has, since her Independence in 1973, sought to define her national borders.

We will continue to engage our other Neighbors in an effort to do so.

Free Trade 49.
Free Trade 49.

I would have mentioned to you last year the involvement of The Bahamas in free trade dialogue and negotiations related, in particular, to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

These negotiations have been concluded.

Similar negotiations remain outstanding for the successor Agreement to the CARICOM-Canada Trade and Development Agreement.

Progress has been made on The Bahamas‟ accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The goal still remains to open up a Diplomatic Mission in Geneva, Headquarters of the WTO.

Global Economic and Financial Crisis 50.

I have already alluded to the Global Economic and Financial Crisis which has affected every Nation of the world to some degree.

And though many Governments espouse an optimistic view of their Countries‟ economic futures, the situation remains volatile.

To this end, The Bahamas will continue to engage her regional and international partners to formulate viable solutions.
Financial Services 51.

In addition to the twenty-two (22) Tax Information Exchange Agreements, signed over the course of the last three (3) years, I wish to announce the finalization of a TIEA with Japan, and ongoing negotiations with Indonesia.

10 Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, Climate Change Climate change remains a key concern for The Bahamas, due to the relatively small size of the 52.

Country and the fragile and vulnerable nature of the Bahamian natural environment.
The recognition of the special vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to climate change is critical, as climate change is increasingly becoming a global epidemic with far reaching consequences, which could threaten international peace and security.

53.
53.

The Bahamas has been active under the auspices of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and CARICOM, in advocating the position of the Region as outlined in the Liliendaal Declaration on Climate Change, adopted by Heads of Government of CARICOM at the Thirtieth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, in Guyana, July 2009.

54.
54.

The Bahamas, along with fellow Small Island Developing States (SIDS), worked arduously to ensure that priority areas of concern, namely mitigation, adaptation and financing were adequately addressed in the outcomes.

The Durban, South Africa Seventeenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or the Kyoto Protocol, concluded after extraordinary, extended, time on Monday of this week.
I am advised by the Head of The Bahamas Delegation, Director Philip Weech of the Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology (BEST) Commission, who has just returned to The Bahamas, that this hard work has paid off in the following ways, which will be un-affected by the Canadian post-Conference withdrawal:-  The Adaptation Fund, established at the Pozan Conference, given substance in the Copenhagen Conference by the approved short-term (USD30B) and long-term (USD100B) financing to continue the legal and rules based Kyoto Protocol in order to reduce emissions, was given structure and institutional capacity at the Cancun Conference, and, finalised in Durban.
 The negotiation process for a legally binding instrument in which both developed and developing Countries participate, has been agreed to begin in 2012.

 India, China, Brazil, South Africa, the USA and other major emitters have agreed to begin negotiations towards an agreement which will now capture the 85% of emissions not covered by Kyoto.
 The Bahamas, despite inconsistent attendance, has also played a significant role by: leadership on UNFCCC Conferences‟ bureaux; by marking her interests in international bunkers and finance; and, by election to the Adaptation Fund Board.

The Director has, finally, cautioned that the challenge remains to maximise these opportunities by 55. creating an implementation entity among relevant Agencies to access the Fund.
Security On the security front, the Ministry has been steadfast in ensuring The Bahamas‟ compliance with 56. provisions outlined in Agreements such as the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its related Protocols; and the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism.

In fact, on 7th December, we participated in the first Megaports Full Scale Exercise, which took the form of a full scale simulation at the Container Port in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
This simulation covered, inter alia, all details involved with detection and processing of suspected substances emitting radiation in containers.

11 57.

Closely related to security surrounding transportation is the issue of piracy, which remains a primary concern for the international community, even more so now in light of its links to international terrorism.
The Bahamas, given our interest in maritime affairs and as the fourth largest Ship Registry in the world, has continuously demonstrated her commitment to combating this scourge.

In March 2011, for example, The Bahamas sent an observer to the Ad Hoc Meeting of Experts on Financial Aspects of Piracy, sponsored by the US Department of State in Washington, DC,.
The Bahamas enforces, to the fullest extent possible, the resolutions passed by the United Nations Security Council regarding piracy off the coast of Somalia, most recently Resolution 1976 (April 2011).

The Bahamas also continues to support the work of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS).

In this regard, I wish to highlight the efforts of the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA).
We remain of the view that terrorism, in all its manifestations will only be effectively combated 58. through international co-operation.

59.

We also have co-operative security measures in place such as Operation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), the Joint Task Force on Counter Narcotics and Illegal Migration, and, the Enduring Friendship Initiative.
We continue to work alongside our regional Partners, for example through CARICOM‟s Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), earlier indicated, and in collaboration with OAS initiatives, such as the Agreement signed in January providing for the donation of a firearms marking machine, to enhance, not only national security, but that of the Region and international community.

Candidacies 60.

In relation to its International Candidatures, The Bahamas can boast success.

61.
61.

I have already referred to our successful re-election to Category „C‟ on the IMO Council.

It is our hope that this outcome will be repeated at the elections for the UN International Residual Mechanism, which will take place tomorrow, 16th December.

We wish the very best to our candidate, Sir Burton Hall, former Chief Justice.

62.
62.

Many of you will recall the election of Dr. Davidson L. Hepburn to the post of President of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2009.

As his term has come to an end, I would like to this opportunity to thank Dr. Hepburn for so effectively manning this prestigious Post.

He has given the world yet another example of the type of talent that The Bahamas has to offer.
Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, Strengthening of MFA I am pleased to report that there is tangible evidence that my Ministry is being strengthened.

On 63. the human resources side, we have been privileged to be able to hire at entry level another eight (8) Administrative Cadets, some of the best and brightest of qualified young Bahamians.

From the perspective of technology, the Ministry has continued its modernization process and has 64. various projects in the pipeline.
We recently launched production of electronic emergency travel documents, which will facilitate the return of Bahamians who have lost their travel documents abroad.

As our Overseas Missions will now be able to issue these documents, Bahamian travelers no longer have to wait for the re-issuance of a passport to return home.

12 65.
12 65.

As one of the Government Agencies selected to participate in the launch of E-Government, we anticipate increasingly greater productivity and efficiencies from recourse to ICT, and from more strategic and measurable approaches to our work.

66.

As regards Immigration, many of you will recall that we had projected the launch of electronic „work visas‟, as opposed to „work permits‟, this year.

I am proud to announce that they are currently in production.

67.
67.

We also wish to inform the Public of the services offered by the Ministry.

The Ministry commenced by organizing a Public Education Campaign on the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, to which The Bahamas acceded in 1993.

We received a positive response from media outlets and the Public alike and hope to garner the same type of support for future campaigns.

We again encourage you to visit our website for more information.
Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, 68.
In conclusion, you should now appreciate more than ever that The Bahamas takes seriously the insightful saying repeated by a former Foreign Minister of Singapore, Professor S. Jayakumar, during a lecture entitled, “Reflections on Diplomacy of a Small State”, and I quote: ”…You are either at the table or you are on the menu!” Excellencies, Honorary Consuls, Ladies and Gentlemen, Even more seriously, my Ministry, in the course of its work, has endeavored to ensure that the 69. ideals upon which the Bahamian Constitution stands are evident in the manner in which we expound on policies and decisions.
Bahamian foreign policy will always have at its core the principles of democracy and respect for human rights.

By respecting these core principles our respective Countries can sustain an international atmosphere conducive to mutually beneficial cooperation and development.

For these reasons, we also hope that we can continue to count on the support of your Capitols for 70. our joint efforts and future endeavors.

This special season reminds us that a Light shined in the Darkness.
May this Light illuminate all 71. your paths and crown all your highest hopes for the New Year.

72.

I thank you.

13