The New Democratic Party (NDP) recognizes the importance of our role as a responsible state in the international community. We will therefore promote and encourage the maintenance of democratic principles and good governance: transparency, accountability and respect for human rights. We will feverishly seek to maintain and establish links with states, international organizations, multilateral corporations and other regional and international bodies for the promotion of peace and stability among nations and the welfare interests of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The conduct of our foreign policy will have far reaching implications in terms of its relevance to vital sectors of our economy. As such, maintaining an appropriate stance with regard to our involvement in international relations can only serve our nation well in the long term. The major facets of our economy which are directly related to our dealings with global community are as follows: climate change, energy, trade, training and education, culture and tourism, technology, economic cooperation, agriculture and national security.
To this end, the NDP will actively support and participate in the growth and advancement of economic integration in Caricom and the OECS and encourage where necessary other regional bodies that promote good governance and preserve our traditional democratic principles. And establish close ties with the Garifuna Community worldwide with special attention being paid to deepening and broadening relations with the descendants of the Garifuna people who were banished from St. Vincent to Roatan Island.
Further, the NDP will implement regional and international agreements that impact on National Security and impose any heavy financial burdens on tax payers after parliamentary debate and consultation with relevant interest groups where appropriate; ensure that our bilateral and multilateral arrangements will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny and where necessary authorization; diligently review and actively pursue the provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union in order to secure the benefits associated with the trade in goods and services; broaden and deepen diplomatic relations with existing countries and seek diplomatic ties with other countries on the basis of respect for human rights and the recognition of participatory democracy and support and encourage the peaceful resolution of international conflicts and diligently participate in the fight against terrorism and money laundering.
We will also ensure that the services provided by our country’s foreign offices are consistent with national policy requirements; reform the operations and functions of our country’s foreign offices to feverishly pursue and attract foreign investment and to establish and deepen trade in goods and services; secure our position in the international community as a responsible state by maintaining our respect for international law and by encouraging other countries do likewise; maintain our obligations to all international conventions and treaties to which we are committed and examine and sign others as they become available and to the extent that they are consistent with our foreign policy.
Moreover, we remain committed to the rule of law in international relations and to the United Nations (UN); maintain our strong historical ties with our traditional friends USA, Canada, UK and the European Union and the member states of the OAS, and return to normalcy our traditionally cordial ties with Cuba and Venezuela; continue to value St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ external relationship with Commonwealth nations and maintain our relationships with the members of the ACP countries, Asia and the Middle East and continue our recognition of India and Kuwait as traditional partners.
The NDP remains committed to the involvement in wide ranging hemispheric agreements with all democratic countries as a basis of political, economic and social-cooperation for our fledgling nation state. Our approach will be flexible, yet purposeful, with the protection and advancement of the interests of the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines always being paramount.
The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines was successful in obtaining a seat as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. The following is the statement by the NDP:
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Becomes Non-Permanent Member On UN Security Council
On Friday 7th June 2019, our beloved country secured a seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
The New Democratic Party, along with the Government and people of St.Vincent and the Grenadines, takes great pride in this achievement.
The Security Council is one of the major organs of the United Nations and is concerned with, among other things, promoting and ensuring international peace and security. It is comprised of five permanent members and ten non-permanent members. The latter serve for two years. St. Vincent and the Grenadines will take up its seat on January 1, 2020. The New Democratic Party is ready to continue to take up St.Vincent and the Grenadines’ Security Council seat when the people of our country give us the mandate to form government.
The non-permanent seats on the Security Council are distributed on a regional basis, into five blocs. St. Vincent and the Grenadines belongs to the Latin American and Caribbean states group. We thank all countries who voted for St, Vincent and the Grenadines, especially the Latin American and Caribbean Countries who supported St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ candidacy from the regional Bloc.
The New Democratic Party believes that a seat on the UN Security Council will raise the profile of St.Vincent and the Grenadines internationally and can bring valuable experience and opportunities to our country. We expect that St. Vincent and the Grenadines will use this high-profile international position to demonstrate our longstanding belief in the principles of democracy, protection of human rights, collective security and the peaceful resolution of disputes, and to promote matters that affect us directly such as the destructive effects of climate change.
St.Vincent and the Grenadines must also capitalize on its higher visibility to promote wherever possible our economic interests, such as the marketing of tourism and enhancing international economic ties.