The signing ceremony for Japan’s Non-Project Grant Aid for Provision of SMEs Products took take place last Wednesday, May 20, dur­ing a bilateral meeting held in conjunction with the 18th Council for Foreign and Community Rela­tions (COFCOR) meeting.

The grant is provided in order to support the promotion of economic and social develop­ment in Saint Lucia and is valued at two hundred and fifty mil­lion Yen, or  USD$2 million.

The grant will be utilized for the procurement of unique, efficient and user-friendly technologies of Japan SMEs.

The products available under the grant are intended to meet the development goals of Saint Lucia in several sectors, such as the environment, health and ag­riculture, to respond to economic and social needs and other criti­cal issues that affect Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

During the 4th Japan-CARI­COM Ministerial-Level Confer­ence in 2014, the Government of Japan pledged “cooperation to­wards sustainable development including overcoming vulnera­bilities particular to Small Island Developing States (SIDS)” and the provision of this grant is de­scribed as “one realization of this continued cooperation.”

Ambassador of Japan to Saint Lucia Yoshimasa Tezuka and Minister for External Affairs, In­ternational Trade and Civil Avia­tion, Alva Baptiste, signed the Ex­change of Notes.

The Government of Japan says it “welcomes further opportunities to work with the Government and the people of Saint Lucia, all with a view to strengthening the bonds of friendship and mutual under­standing which exist between the two countries.”