By Caribbean News Global 
TANGIER, Kingdom of Morocco – Delivering an address at the 16th Edition of the MEDays Forum Plenary Session: Global Governance in Crisis: Reinventing Multilateralism for a Multipolar Era, Saturday November 30, 2024, in Tangiers, Kingdom of Morocco, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J. Pierre proposed a “wish-list.”
At the outset, the prime minister prefaced that, “Saint Lucia would like to align itself with the Kingdom of Morocco and the King of Morrocco regarding the policy on ownership of the Sahara region.”
Prime Minister Pierre, continued: “ Whereas, we can be referred to as micro-states in the world of geopolitics, we maintain a position of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and respect the sovereignty of all nations. We enjoy relations with our traditional friends in the north but maintain deep friendship with countries in the Global South and look to strengthen these friendships with Africa and other countries in the south.”
The prime minister presented that the Caribbean and Africa have entered a new era of partnership, of cooperation on mutually acceptable terms and with our own agendas.
Prime Minister Pierre, explained: “Despite being in the western hemisphere, we in the Caribbean see ourselves as an extension of Africa. Saint Lucia and other States have joined the Afri-Exim Bank, and the bank has set up an office in Barbados. Saint Lucia has benefited from a loan from the bank to improve our education infrastructure. Saint Lucia and Morroco has had long and mutually beneficial relations. Earlier this month, our countries took a step to foster mutual cooperation and strengthen relations when we signed a visa-waiver agreement for diplomatic passport holders and a roadmap for cooperation agreement.
“The Roadmap of Cooperation Agreement outlines the strategic areas of collaboration between the two nations for the period 2025-2027. The agreement is expected to enhance cooperation in key sectors such as education, agriculture, fisheries, economic development and investment, culture, and technical cooperation.”
“We believe that this historic signing marks a new chapter of collaboration and friendship between Morrocco and Saint Lucia,” Pierre advised. “Education, as envisaged by economist Sir Arthur Lewis, “is the cure to poverty”, and I want to use this forum to thank the Kingdom of Morocco for the scholarships granted to our students in Saint Lucia to pursue higher education in Morocco.”
A ‘wish-list’
“This may sound like wishful thinking, ” Prime Minister Pierre accredited to his ‘wish-list.’
“The world we live in, is one of false divisions of race, creed, ideology and religion and as such, breaking these boundaries will require an enlightened global population with values and culture that promote togetherness,” the prime minister offered in his address.
“Let me suggest a wish-list of some things we in the Global South can promote towards forming of a new global governance structure:
- That the world commits to stronger joint cooperation;
- A United Nations Security Council where there are no veto powers and where the vote of the majority will prevail;
- That the Developed World might realise that a more equitable share of world resources and a lesser gap between the rich and poor is in everyone’s best interest;
- A world economic and financial system that understands the vulnerability of micro states like Saint Lucia and understands that the conventional means that measure economic activities are not adequate for their loan financing needs;
- Spending less on weapons and more on global growth and poverty reduction will make the world a safer place for all;
- That all countries in the world commit to phasing out its nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction;
- That countries commit to continuous dialogue and pursue policies that do-not promote discrimination on the basis of religion, race, creed, gender and the digital divide;
- That advanced economies pursue policies that improve the quality of life for the people and in particular those who live in poverty are given greater prominence, this would mean improved education, housing, energy and food security for the 1.1 billion people who live in acute poverty;
- “That leaders do more to engender love, hope, forgiveness, charity, care for the differently-abled, poor and marginalized, and reduce the politics of fear and division.”
Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Pierre, concluding his address at the MEDays forum Plenary Session: Global Governance in Crisis: Reinventing Multilateralism for a Multipolar Era – retreated that – “this may sound like wishful thinking, but I am convinced that no one in this world has to be poor if global resources are efficiently utilized.”
The battle to be hopeful lends itself to applying similar policies framing solutions and calming worries. The responsibility of reference most consequential comes next.
“We live in a world of stark contrast and unnecessary poverty, hardship and conflicts. We can overcome the pain and suffering of many if we accept that change is necessary, and the world must pursue a new agenda,” said Prime Minister Pierre. “We in the South can be pioneers of that agenda.
“ I would like to end with a quote from the visionary world leader and hero, Nelson Mandela: ‘It always seems impossible until it’s done.’ ”
