Prime Minister Gaston Browne has held discussions with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on strengthening trade and economic cooperation between Antigua and Barbuda and the United Kingdom.
The meeting took place on the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), hosted in Antigua and Barbuda.
Among the issues discussed were debt restructuring, development financing, climate finance, food security, healthcare, education, artificial intelligence and opportunities to expand trade between Britain and Caribbean countries.
One important area of discussion was the possibility of increasing Antigua and Barbuda’s imports of food and other goods from the United Kingdom.
Prime Minister Browne noted that Britain had historically been one of Antigua and Barbuda’s principal sources of imported goods, although the United States has since become the country’s dominant trading partner.
The two leaders also discussed shipping routes, transportation and logistics, recognising that reliable shipping arrangements and competitive costs would be necessary to expand trade.
The discussions form part of wider efforts to strengthen Commonwealth partnerships and improve economic opportunities for small and vulnerable states.
