A Dutch maritime economist held talks in St. John’s on Tuesday with senior government officials on a range of issues related to regional trade, food security and agricultural development.
Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Trade, Ambassador Clarence E. Pilgrim was engaged in high-level talks with Eric Van Drunen, a prominent maritime economist from the Netherlands.
Both men discussed the future of the food trade and agriculture within the Caribbean region. This visit was the final leg of Van Drunen’s study tour, which included stops in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica. His aim is to conduct research that will contribute to making agricultural practices and trade more sustainable and efficient across the region.
During the meeting, Ambassador Pilgrim expressed the government’s commitment to supporting regional trade initiatives. He emphasized that Antigua and Barbuda remains dedicated to maintaining regional trade interconnectivity at reasonable prices, ensuring that the economic benefits of such cooperation are felt by all participating nations.
“Antigua and Barbuda is committed to working collaboratively with our regional partners to strengthen trade and agriculture within the Caribbean,” said Ambassador Pilgrim. “We are eager to see the results of Van Drunen’s study, which we believe will provide valuable insights for enhancing our agricultural sector and improving food trade in the region.”
Van Drunen’s study is part of a broader effort to identify strategies that can help address the challenges facing the agricultural sector while promoting greater regional cooperation. The results of this study are expected to provide actionable recommendations that will benefit the islands in terms of food security, trade efficiency, and economic development.
