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State Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Pearnel Charles Jr. says the Jamaica Diaspora Development Plan, the framework developed to strengthen the collective voice of the Jamaican Community in the United States of America, is aligned to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda.
Charles Jr. made the disclosure at the Jamaica Diaspora Leadership Summit underway in Atlanta, Georgia from November 16-18. The Minister told the summit “I am pleased to report that the UNDP Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support Assessment (MAPS) recognised a 91 percent alignment between our national planning framework and the sustainable development goals.” The Minister also pointed out that the plan was aligned to the four core goals of Jamaica’s National Development Plan: Vision 2030.
According to the Minister, “Jamaica’s advancement is dependent on a whole of society approach, with the Diaspora as a key partner!” Minister Charles alsocalled on Diaspora members to be engaged with the development plan and mentioned that “The involvement, contribution and participation of Jamaica’s Diaspora isat the heart of nation building!”
The Minister used the occasion to reassurerepresentatives of the Diaspora that their concerns were being addressed, “Under my leadership, the Ministry established the Returning Residents Taskforce in response to the myriad of issues affecting the Returning Residents community.” He continued, “We also met with Jamaica Customs Agency to explore avenues for co-operation, in addition to addressing the concerns raised by Diaspora entrepreneurs and philanthropists.”
“The summit,which is conceptualised under the theme, ‘Making Our Voices Matter through Leadership’,presents an opportunity to further cement intra-Diaspora partnerships with the national goals in sight. I look forward to the robust exchanges as well as the resulting actions,” Charles Jr stated.
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