NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 27, 2021)- – Hon. Mark Brantley, Minister of Foreign Affairs of St. Kitts and Nevis, engaged his colleague Her Excellency Dr. Marta Lucia Ramírez, Vice President and Foreign Minister of Colombia in a diplomatic exchange in the margins of the 10^th Italy Latin America and the Caribbean Conference in Rome, Italy.

Mr. Brantley said he was honoured to meet H.E. Ramírez, a champion for women’s rights and the first woman to serve as Vice President of Colombia.

During the October 25, 2021 meeting, the diplomats discussed critical issues of bilateral and multilateral relevance to St. Kitts and Nevis and Colombia. The range of issues included climate change, climate finance, greater cooperation in security, culture and language, and a vision for a broader Caribbean/Latin American political and economic alliance.

Colombia responded positively to requests for assistance with respect to airport security needs in St Kitts and Nevis.

The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis established diplomatic relations with Colombia in 1984, and citizens of both countries enjoy a reciprocal visa waiver arrangement that allows for visa-free visits for up to 90 days.

The 10^th Italy Latin America and the Caribbean Conference was convened under the theme, “People, Planet, Prosperity. The future of an age old partnership”. The round table issues discussed related to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the post-pandemic recovery.

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella affirmed that the European nation “wants to contribute to the return of Latin America and the Caribbean to the European agenda as a strategic centrality”.