A delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will visit St. Vincent and the Grenadines to meet with Prime Minister Dr. The Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves and other Government Officials from August 9- 11, 2016.
The visiting delegation will arrive in the state from Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday August 9th and will be led by Director of Commercial and Government Relations, Minister of State Office, Mr. Khalid Al Mannai.
The other members of the visiting delegation are Diplomatic Attaché, Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Maha Alhebsi, Senior Manager- Commercial, DP World- Shehab AlJasmi, Senior Operations Manager, DP World- Hassan Matar Mohammad, Renewable Energy Expert, Masdar- John Robert Caruso and Vice President, Route Planning and Economics, Emirates Airlines- Trevor David Chang.
While in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the delegation will be involved in a series of high level meetings. On Wednesday August 10th, the delegation will meet with Prime Minister, Dr. The Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce, Hon. Sir Louis Straker and Minister of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Industry, Information and Labour, Hon. Camillo Gonsalves.
Wednesday’s agenda also includes a meeting with the Minister of Transport and Works, Hon. Julian Francis, Permanent Secretary of Energy, Land and Sea Port Development, Mr. Godfred Pompey and Chief Executive Officer- SVG Port Authority, Mr. Bishen John. The delegation and local Officials will then tour the Port Facilities in Kingstown.
As part of the intense visit the UAE delegation will also meet with the Minister of Education, Hon. St. Clair Prince and Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Hon. Frederick Stephenson.
There will also be a visit to the largest capital project in St. Vincent and the Grenadines the Argyle International Airport, where they will be taken on a tour of the facility and meet with Minister of Tourism, Sport and Culture, Hon. Cecil McKie, Chief Executive Officer- SVG Tourism Authority, Mr. Glen Beache, Chairman of the Board – Argyle International Airport, Mr. Garth Saunders and Chief Executive Officer- International Airport Development Company, Dr. Rudy Matthias.
The delegation will wrap up its visits to this country On Thursday August 11th with a meeting with the Director of the Energy Unit, Mr. Ellsworth Dacon and Chief Executive Officer of the St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited, Mr. Thornley Myers. They will then meet with the Director of Economic Planning, Mrs. Laura Anthony- Browne to discuss Zero Hunger Initiative and Dubai Cares.
At the launch of the Adopt A Classroom programme under the Zero Hunger Initiative last week, Minister of Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, Hon. Camillo Gonsalves announced that St. Vincent and the Grenadines will host a delegation from the United Arab Emirates, specifically Dubai as they had expressed an interest in the Zero Hunger Trust Fund. Minister Gonsalves noted then, “We are becoming a shining example for the rest of the region on how to tackle in a targeted way the issue of poverty and hunger”.
Prior to Thursday’s departure, the delegation will meet with Director of the National Emergency Management Organization, Nemo, Howie Prince.
