The Bahamas government has defended its decision to send a delegation to the Expo 2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) saying it provides an opportunity for the Caribbean country to develop friendships and the tourism industry.
Several Caribbean countries are attending Expo 2020 Dubai that began late October last year and ends on March 31 this year. It is the first of its kind to be held in an Arab country.
On Monday, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Service Fred Mitchell and Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates.
A statement issued by the Bahamas Information Services, said the MoU “begins a fruitful relationship between The Bahamas and UAE.
“The UAE government is committed to providing technical assistance through their technical assistance programme. Embedded in the agreement, is a provision that at least 50 per cent of the participants in the training programme are women.
“Both The Bahamas and UAE are committed to working together on several fronts for the mutual advancement of both countries. The exchange of information will be invaluable as The Bahamas continues to push through the setbacks of the pandemic toward national and economic growth,” the statement added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis defended the presence of the delegation as the media here reported that some Bahamians were questioning the size of the delegation and the cost of the event.
“We consider Expo fundamentally to be about the relationship between the peoples of the world, the promotion of friendship and co-operation through culture, and the unyielding capacity of human beings to pursue a higher order of civilisation, through innovation and adaptation,” Davis said.
“It is a chance for countries to get to know each other better or perhaps, introduce themselves to each other for the first time. Many Bahamians here in Dubai have been surprised at how many people have never heard of The Bahamas. Our presence and participation are opportunities for both friendship and tourism.”
Davis said it is sometimes difficult for the voices of small countries like The Bahamas to be heard on the world stage, adding “but we know that when we sing and dance and fully express our creative, cultural identity, we make a much bigger splash in the global imagination”.
He said the presence at the Expo allows for the Caribbean country to build friendships as well as explore joint opportunities.
“Whether it is an investment in a growing technological future, or acting jointly to address the existential challenges of climate change, for each of us here, for all of us around the world, we can be certain that we are all in this together,” he said, thanking he host country for being able to participate in the event.
Source- CMC
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