The Caribbean bolsters dialogue on regional security

Santo Domingo.- Foreign minister, Miguel Vargas, US ambassador, Robin Bernstein, and Caribbean Community (CARICOM), programs director Towyne Stephenson on Tues. opened the Ninth Technical Working Group on “Youth, Women and Vulnerable Populations: Road to Peace and Justice,” within the framework of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative sponsored by Washington.

During the meeting which takes place from Tuesday 11 to Wednesday 12 June at the Convention Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX), Caribbean nations, with the cooperation of the United States government, will exchange experiences around studies, reports and cases related to security problems in those populations, prepared by related government agencies.

Vargas welcomed delegations, guests and national and international experts, and highlighted the importance of the Dominican Republic being the regional headquarters of a meeting aimed at discussing and proposing effective solutions on policies and actions for young people and against crime and gender violence.

“The Dominican Government, once we received the request made by the United States government through its Agency for International Development (USAID) to host this important event, responded quickly and enthusiastically, and this time we will carry out a broad and well-documented work schedule during the next two and a half days.”

Ambassador

Bernstein said the United States is committed to the Caribbean countries to jointly prevent crime and violence, since the technical working group seeks to strengthen the capacity of governments to achieve effective and integrated security practices to the whole region.

The Conference of the CBSI Working Group includes representatives from Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and St. Kitts & Nevis.