Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and Vice President of Colombia, Francia Márquez, pledged to explore enhanced cooperation in several areas, including healthcare and student and cultural exchange programmes. (C. Pitt/BGIS)
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley recently held bilateral discussions with senior officials from Colombia and Guinea-Bissau, aimed at further expanding Barbados’ diplomatic footprint.
In the first meeting, held at Parliament on Friday, Prime Minister Mottley met with the Vice President of Colombia, Francia Márquez. Both leaders noted that the reopening of Colombia’s Embassy in Barbados—closed since 2002—was a strong signal of the commitment to deepening diplomatic ties between the two nations.
They pledged to explore enhanced cooperation in several areas, including healthcare, student and cultural exchange programmes, and initiatives to promote Spanish as a second language among Barbadians. Discussions also addressed issues such as improved air connectivity, global political tensions, and other matters of mutual interest.
Vice President Márquez also referenced CARIFESTA XV during the meeting, saying, “We feel very proud to join you today in the celebrations.”
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley met with the President of Guinea-Bissau, General Umaro Sissoco Embaló, marking his first official visit to Barbados. (C. Pitt/BGIS)
Later, Prime Minister Mottley met with the President of Guinea-Bissau, General Umaro Sissoco Embaló, marking his first official visit to Barbados. Ms. Mottley described the occasion as “a new chapter in Barbados’ foreign relations policy,” setting the foundation for cooperation across various sectors.
She invited President Embaló to consider Barbados as a hub for commerce and investment and encouraged the development of educational exchange initiatives – enabling Barbadians to study Portuguese in Guinea-Bissau, and Guinean citizens to study English in Barbados.
While on the island, President Embaló also planted a cashew tree—symbolic to his homeland—as a gesture of friendship and cultural exchange.
Author: Julie Carrington
Source: https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/mottley-holds-talks-with-leaders-of-colombia-and-guinea-bissau/
