European Commission Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, visited Barbados from 12-13 June, to discuss with government representatives, stakeholders and civil society the path towards the upcoming COP28 UN Climate Change Conference and to look for common ground for action on urgent climate issues.

During his visit Executive Vice-President Timmermans held a working dinner with Prime Minister, the Honourable Mia Mottley. He also participate in a tour on climate resilience and vulnerability, hosted by Prime Minister Mottley and in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Honorable Kerrie Symmonds and Minister of the Environment the Honorable Adrian Forde. The tour included a visit to the HOPE Project (Home Ownership Providing Energy) that offers affordable, energy efficient, hurricane resilient homes for first-time homeowners, as well as a visit to Walkers Reserve, a sand quarry undergoing a regeneration process into a natural reserve. It is at Walkers’ Reserve that the EU recently launched EUROCLIMA in the Caribbean, the climate-related flagship programme of the EU, now active in the region. The tour with the Prime Minister ended with a press conference.

Executive Vice President Timmermans also exchanged views on the challenges and opportunities of climate adaptation, including Sargassum seaweed. He engaged with officials from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), the University of the West Indies (UWI), as well as with the local community and representatives of the Barbados Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU) and the Department of Emergency Management (DEM). Past and current support to Disaster Risk Management actions were discussed with partners, especially that of the EU funded Early Warning Systems in place on the eastern side of the island. Discussion also took place on how these systems are making a difference at local level.

From Barbados, Executive Vice-President Timmermans traveled to Guyana where met with CARICOM Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Donna Forde, as well as government officials in Guyana, before concluding his visit in Suriname.

Ahead of the EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit scheduled for Brussels from 17 to 18 July, this mission was a step towards the further strengthening of engagement between the EU and the Caribbean region.