Caption: Minister Johnson Smith addresses a virtual meeting of the 2nd Germany-Latin American and Caribbean Initiative (LAKini 2.0) on Wednesday, June 3.
According to Jamaica’s Foreign Minister, real growth will result from increased technological penetration across all sectors.
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for a digital transformation to achieve sustainable economic growth. With further investment and collaboration to increase technological penetration across all fields and sectors, we will be better prepared to achieve real growth,” Sen. the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, stated, during today’s (June 3) virtual meeting of the 2nd Germany-Latin American and Caribbean Initiative (LAKini 2.0).
The Minister was addressing over 20 colleague Ministers at the meeting, which was originally scheduled for May18-19 in Santiago, Chile.
Noting that digital transformation would “support a more resilient recovery,” Johnson Smith invited German investment in that sector. “The digital economy is an area ripe for investment by and cooperation with German businesses, which have already shown significant experience, expertise and capacity.” She noted.
Johnson Smith shared that the Jamaican Government’s strategic and targeted containment measures had been largely successful, but the COVID-19 pandemic had caused a major economic fallout which was projected to deepen during the current quarter. She also advised that the Jamaican Government “implemented a range of economic and social initiatives to cushion the impact of the most vulnerable citizens and the business sector”.
Minister Johnson Smith decried the EU’s blacklisting policy as one which would exacerbate the challenges for developing countries at the very time they most need support.
She stated “EU blacklisting continues to be a concern for Jamaica and other countries in the region. We therefore, seek the support of the Government of Germany in leveraging its significant influence in major multilateral fora to have these and other crippling structural imbalances in the international economic system, swiftly addressed.”
The Minister also drew attention to climate change and the vulnerability of islands in the Caribbean including Jamaica, confronted by the start of the 2020 Hurricane season, even as she noted that Germany’s doubling of its funds for international climate finance and support of the European Commission’s Green Deal, “are positive signals for the future as we seek to “build back better”.
In conclusion, Minister Johnson Smith underscored the importance of international collaboration in the recovery and rebuilding process following the pandemic. “Containing the pandemic and sustainable economic recovery cannot be achieved without considerable international solidarity and cooperation. I therefore reiterate Jamaica’s commitment to continued collaboration with Germany, our regional and international partners to effectively overcome the impact of COVID-19 and maintain momentum towards increased growth, development and prosperity for all our peoples.”
