PM to Attend High Level Meetings at WTO, ITC, ILO

June 12, 2009

PRIME MINISTER GOLDING FOR HIGH LEVEL MEETINGS IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND- JUNE 15-17:

Prime Minister Bruce Golding is to head Jamaica's delegation to a series of high level meetings with the World Trade Organisation, the International Trade Centre and the International Labour Organization, in Geneva, Switzerland from June 15-17.

The team will include Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles, Minister of Tourism Ed Bartlett, top executives in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and representatives of the Jamaican High Commission in London.

Mr. Golding is one of ten Heads of Government, specially invited to make presentations at this year's ILO conference. Others include President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, President Lula daSilva of Brazil, President Tarja Halonen of Finland, President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique and President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina.

The schedule of meetings will begin on Monday June 15 with the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Mr. Pascal Lamy on the implications of the global crisis for developing countries and its impact on the unfinished Doha Round of trade negotiations.   Mr. Golding will also hold discussions with the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, Mrs. Patricia Francis and senior Directors of the ITC. The delegation will also get the opportunity to meet with members of the Jamaican community in Geneva.

 On Tuesday, June 16, Prime Minister Golding will address the second session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction at the general International Conference Centre. The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction will bring together a wide cross-section of the global disaster risk reduction community, including heads of state, senior ministers, UN agencies, NGOs, scientific and technical experts. Observing the theme ‘Invest today for a safer tomorrow', the event will focus on linkages between climate change adaptation, poverty and disaster risk reduction.

 The Jamaican delegation will be among the heads of state and government officials who will attend a luncheon on Tuesday June 16 hosted by the Director General of the International Labour Organisation Juan Somavia at the ILO's headquarters. This will be followed by a meeting with the ILO head.

Later on Tuesday afternoon (June 16) Prime Minister Golding will address a special sitting of the Plenary of the ILO to be followed by a meeting with the Jamaican delegation to the ILO and a visit to the Permanent Mission of Jamaica in Geneva.

On Wednesday June 17 the Prime Minister will travel to London where he will attend a series of meetings before returning to Jamaica on June 18.

During the Prime Minister's absence from June 13-18, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Ken Baugh will be in charge of the government. Prime Minister Golding will be leaving for Geneva from the PetroCaribe meeting in St Kitts.