Suriname Foreign Minister closer to leading OAS
December 11, 2024
Albert Ramdin, current Foreign Minister of Suriname, is confident that the various endorsements he has already received by CARICOM and other Latin American nations will allow him to become the next Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), according to Demerara Waves. The OAS will hold elections in March 2025 to replace current Secretary General Luis Almagro. Ramdin, who currently has 17 of the 18 necessary votes (CARICOM + Peru, Chile, and Honduras), is competing against Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, current Foreign Affairs Minister of Paraguay.
A CARICOM statement on the matter reaffirms the group’s “unwavering support for the candidature of H.E. Albert Ramdin,” pointing to Ramdin’s two previous terms as Assistant Secretary General of the OAS to showcase his commitments to the institution. In Caribbean News Global, Sir Ronald Sanders notes that it is the first time all CARICOM nations have been united behind a single candidate. He also outlines the current geopolitical context surrounding the vote, as well as the outcome’s potential impact on Latin America and the Caribbean.
Governance
On Monday, the United National Congress (UNC), the opposition force in Trinidad, voted against a legislative initiative that sought to amend the constitution to grant autonomy to Tobago, according to the Caribbean Times. The bill, which required a ¾ majority of the 41-member parliament, only received 21 votes in favor.
Climate Change
Caribbean Magazine Plus draws attention to the 2024 Adaptation Gap Report, published by the UN Environment Programme, that notes that although international finance flows towards developing countries have increased by $6 billion in just one year, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean still require a significant increase in funding, as well as an improvement in capacity building and technology transfers, to be able to improve the effectiveness of adaptation efforts.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Caribbean requires approximately $100 billion for climate resilience building, reports the Trinidad and Tobado Guardian.
In another blog post, Petchary notes the success of the Jamaica Public Service Company’s (JPS) Climate Action Conference and Expo.
Two youth leaders developed a heat mapping project, supported by UNESCO Aruba, that would help tackle climate-related health risks in the region. Island Innovation profiles these leaders and offers additional insights into their initiatives.
Climate and Environmental Justice
Climate Analytics provides a breakdown of COP29, offering context for this year’s negotiations, an assessment of the deals reached, and the overall feeling of disillusionment of SIDS after the conclusion of the conference.
Small Island Developing Nations (SIDS) are unhappy with the deal reached at COP29, arguing that they require significantly higher levels of financing to successfully adapt to the climate crisis, reports the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian.
The Environmental Funders Network wrote about the opportunity, through the UK Overseas Territories Fund, to address the funding gap for environmental activities in said territories. A new funding round by the John Ellerman Foundation is expected to occur in 2025.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin is publishing daily reports on the ongoing discussion at the International Court of Justice, which is hearing arguments regarding the obligations of states with respect to climate change.
World’s Youth for Climate Justice and Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change are also publishing daily briefings on the hearings.
The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) issued a press release announcing its financial support of practical advocacy actions by five civil society organizations.
In her blog, Petchary discusses the recent announcement by the Jamaican National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) that it would withdraw criminal charges against Trade Winds Citrus Limited for an oil spill in the Rio Cobre. She notes the inconsistencies in the sudden change in decision and other broader issues in the case, and calls for further investigation into the matter.
Reparations
On Facebook, Richard Drayton identifies two objects from Jamaica that were stolen by the British Museum, and calls for their return to the Caribbean.
Natural Resources
On LinkedIn, Samuel Gittens Jr. provides a comprehensive overview of how the Caribbean has helped in the “development of unique materials that reflect the region's natural resources, cultural identity, and commitment to sustainability,” and the role the region can play in advancing fashion education worldwide.
US-Caribbean Relations
In a guest essay at Caribbean Trade Law, Rahym Augustin-Joseph raises questions about the impacts of a new Donald Trump administration in the US for Caribbean nations, particularly in the areas of climate change, immigration, trade, foreign policy, and global peace and solidarity.
A new law, signed by outgoing US President Joe Biden, would ban “the recognition of trademarks confiscated by the Cuban government,” effectively giving Bacardi the rights to the “Havana Club” rum brand in the US, reports Reuters. A Cuban company has its own version of Havana Club, which it sells outside of the US.
Public Security
The homicide count in St. Vincent and the Grenadines reached 51 on Monday with the murder of Jarvis Horne, reports iWitness News. This year’s homicide toll is just four below the toll recorded in 2023.
Over 180 elderly Haitians were killed at the hand of a warlord earlier this week, according to the Wall Street Journal. Monel Felix believed the elderly residents of the slum to have used witchcraft to give his son a fatal illness.
Three police and military officers from the Bahamas were charged in a federal indictment case that alleges that they took bribes to help smuggle cocaine into the United States, says the Miami Herald.
Democratic Governance
OneCity JA partnered with the SlashRoots Foundation to help implement various initiatives that seek to improve popular participation in governance. Check out SlashRoots in greater detail here!
Migration
In a guest essay for the Global Detention Project, Bridget Wooding criticizes the recent decision by the Dominican Republic to enact mass deportation of Haitians, arguing that the actions are “being carried out indiscriminately, in violation of people’s rights and dignity.”
Events
Climate Analytics will host an interactive, fireside-style discussion recapping the deals and outcomes from COP29 and their impacts on SIDS. Register here!
Don’t forget to register for the X Latin American and Caribbean Social Sciences Conference! The conference will be held in Bogotá, Colombia from June 9-12, 2025. More information here.