Foreign Affairs Minister Chet Greene has warned ambassadors and senior diplomatic staff of mounting global pressures directly impacting Antigua and Barbuda as he called for expanded diplomatic presence in key regions, during the opening of the 2025 Diplomatic Encounter on Thursday.
“The times not only have changed, but continue to change,” Minister Greene told diplomats gathered at the Royalton Resort. “We have to look at the issues facing us as a small developing country – [US] tariffs will affect us as we import everything we eat, everything we wear.”
Greene highlighted specific challenges including “treatment of Cuban medical workers that strikes right with us” and “new ships made in China plying their trade in this part of the world subjected to fees, special fees, which means the cost of living will be adversely affected.”
The forum, themed “Alignment of Diplomatic Outreach with National Priorities,” brought together ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from around the world.
The Foreign Minister called for expanding diplomatic relationships beyond traditional partners.
“It is my considered opinion that we broaden our diplomatic footprints, particularly in key regions such as Africa, Central and South America, and India,” he said.
“The expansion of our relationships in these areas is not merely an ambition or necessity. The African continent, with its vast resources and emerging markets, presents a wealth of opportunities that we must seize,” Greene added.
Permanent Secretary Ambassador Clarence Pilgrim emphasized the need for strategic diplomatic approaches amid shifting global conditions.
“The global landscape is shifting rapidly. As a nation, we must ensure that our diplomatic engagements remain proactive, strategic, and deeply connected to our national development priorities,” he said.
Meanwhile, featured speaker Martin Kimani, President of the African Centre in New York, praised Antigua’s diplomatic impact despite its size.
“You are a country whose diplomacy continues to sharpen the moral authority of small states in the international system at a time when it is sorely needed,” Kimani said.
Kimani, who serves as Chair-Designate of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, advocated for Security Council reform.
“Security Council reform is a core demand of the global south, and a defining measure of whether the international system can reflect present realities rather than outdated power structures,” he said.
He also called for stronger African-Caribbean alliances, pointing to successful past collaboration at the UN Security Council between African nations and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
“We can build a permanent mechanism for African-Caribbean coordination on peace and security, which would amplify your influence and ensure that the Security Council hears the perspectives of those who have too often been spoken for, rather than listened to,” he said.
Greene announced the diplomatic encounter would become a biannual function, with the next meeting planned for 2027, and called for creating “a robust online chat where we can meet on a daily basis to share and exchange our respective experiences.”
The forum will continue through Saturday with discussions on climate change, artificial intelligence, tourism, and the blue economy.
