Carib Scope

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  • Guatemalan Ambassador Summoned Over Sarstoon Incident

    Guatemalan Ambassador Summoned Over Sarstoon Incident

    A new territorial dispute flare-up along the shared Sarstoon River border has prompted Belize to take formal diplomatic action against Guatemala, marking a fresh escalation of a decades-long sovereignty conflict between the two Central American neighbors. The incident, which unfolded on September 10, saw more than a dozen Guatemalan vessels – a mix of military gunboats and civilian craft – operating in the waters immediately surrounding Sarstoon Island, a territory Belize claims as its sovereign territory.

    In response to what Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls an unauthorized and concerning increase in Guatemalan activity in its territorial waters, the government summoned Guatemala’s ambassador to Belize on September 17 to deliver a formal, strongly worded protest note. Oscar Arnold, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters that the coordinated deployment of civilian vessels alongside military units is a particularly grave concern for the Belizean government.

    Beyond direct bilateral diplomatic channels, Belize has moved to alert and brief a broad range of international stakeholders about the incident to ensure the confrontation is formally documented and addressed at a multilateral level. The Organization of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Commonwealth, and Belize’s broader network of international diplomatic partners have all been notified of the incursion. Coinciding with Belize’s annual Diplomatic Week, which brings all ambassadors accredited to the country – including those based in neighboring jurisdictions – to Belize City, government officials will brief the entire diplomatic corps on the incident and outline Belize’s official position.

    Despite the escalation and formal protest, both Belizean and Guatemalan officials have reaffirmed their shared commitment to resolving the long-running territorial dispute through peaceful diplomatic means. Arnold told reporters that following delivery of the protest note, Guatemalan officials confirmed their longstanding position has not changed: Guatemala also remains committed to finding a peaceful negotiated resolution to the sovereignty dispute. The protest note, which outlines specific Belizean objections to the September 10 incursion, has been delivered to Guatemalan foreign ministry authorities both through the Guatemalan embassy in Belize and Belize’s own embassy in Guatemala City.

    The Sarstoon River has been the site of repeated diplomatic tensions between Belize and Guatemala for decades, with Guatemala claiming a large portion of western Belizean territory, including the river’s southern bank and adjacent territorial waters. The confrontation is the latest in a series of encounters that have tested bilateral relations, though both sides have repeatedly avoided military confrontation and prioritized diplomatic negotiation.

  • Cotino leidt WTO-debat over rol parlementen bij duurzame dienstenhandel

    Cotino leidt WTO-debat over rol parlementen bij duurzame dienstenhandel

    At the 57th World Trade Organization Public Forum held in Geneva, Venezuelan parliamentarian Rossellie Cotino has led a high-stakes working session focused on how national legislatures can advance the growth of sustainable trade in services, a core topic under this year’s forum theme “Powering the Future”.

    Cotino is participating in the three-day forum, which runs from September 15 to 17, alongside fellow parliamentarians Steven Reyme and Mahinderkoemar Jogi from Suriname. As a sitting member of the strategic steering committee for the WTO Parliamentary Conference, she took on the role of discussion facilitator for the joint working session organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the European Parliament. The session centered on a critical, underdiscussed question: how legislative bodies can deepen their engagement to build a more sustainable global services trade ecosystem.

    Stakeholders from multiple sectors joined the conversation, including representatives from private industry, the European Parliament, national legislatures from across the globe, and a recently acceded WTO member state. The discussion yielded a key consensus that moves beyond traditional framing of trade policy: international trade agreements only lay part of the groundwork for expanding services trade. A far larger share of impact depends on domestic conditions within individual countries. Attendees emphasized that high-quality national legislation, transparent regulatory frameworks, efficient administrative processes, and well-functioning public institutions are all non-negotiable for unlocking inclusive, sustained growth in the services sector.

    Participants further outlined that parliaments carry a broader mandate than simply passing new laws. Beyond legislation, these bodies are responsible for overseeing executive action, ensuring governments fully implement international trade commitments, and monitoring that the economic benefits generated by trade are distributed broadly across all segments of society. The session also drew critical attention to the stark capability gaps between WTO member states. Attendees agreed that any further liberalization of global services trade must be tailored to account for the unique economic contexts and institutional capacity constraints, particularly for low- and middle-income developing countries.

    A core guiding principle agreed upon by participants is that services trade should not be treated as an end goal in itself. Instead, it should be structured to deliver tangible, broad-based progress: advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, creating quality formal employment, driving cross-border innovation, and building more inclusive economies. The parliamentary delegation’s visit to Geneva will conclude on September 18 with a scheduled meeting of the Parliamentary Conference’s strategic steering committee, where Cotino will continue contributing to ongoing institutional planning for parliamentary engagement at the WTO.

  • Immigration Officers Strengthen Border Screening Skills

    Immigration Officers Strengthen Border Screening Skills

    In a major push to upgrade Belize’s cross-border travel management and national security infrastructure, 125 of the country’s immigration officers are currently undergoing specialized training to master the MIDAS digital traveler information platform, the core system that processes every individual entering or exiting the nation. The initiative, led by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with full funding from the European Union, forms a key part of a broader regional project to strengthen security and management along Belize’s southern and western borders.

    All travelers passing through Belize’s ports of entry already go through a mandatory screening process that verifies personal documentation, tracks cross-border movement, and flags potential security risks. The new training program is designed to standardize and elevate officers’ proficiency across every function of the MIDAS system, covering end-to-end processing of both arrivals and departures, best practices for sensitive personal data protection, protocols for conducting in-depth secondary inspections, and frameworks for resolving irregular or unusual travel cases.

    Alongside the skills training, technical experts deployed for the initiative have also conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the MIDAS system itself, following recent upgrades to the platform’s hardware and the successful integration of Advance Passenger Information data. This assessment will lay the groundwork for the next phase of the project: the production of a detailed report that maps unaddressed technical gaps, outlines targeted corrective actions, and proposes actionable strategies to boost the system’s long-term operational efficiency.

    Lawrence Thompson, Director of Border Management for Belize, emphasized that the standardized training will deliver a consistent, clear set of operational procedures for immigration officers working across all of the country’s ports of entry, eliminating inconsistencies and streamlining traveler processing while strengthening security outcomes.

  • Police pursue man behind threatening viral video

    Police pursue man behind threatening viral video

    Law enforcement authorities in Saint Lucia are actively searching for a man whose threatening remarks, captured in a widely circulated social media video, have sparked widespread public concern across the island nation. The viral recording shows the man expressing deep frustration with life in Saint Lucia, while making explicit statements that strongly imply he may pose a danger to both himself and people around him.

    Since the video began spreading online, many social media users have speculated that the man is one of the third-country nationals (TCNs) recently transferred to Saint Lucia from the United States as part of a controversial regional relocation program. However, official information obtained by St Lucia Times from the Ministry of External Affairs confirms that this assumption is incorrect.

    According to government records, the man is a native-born Saint Lucian citizen who was deported back to his home country from the United States in March 2023, meaning he has no connection to the TCN relocation programme. In an official statement addressing growing public anxiety tied to the viral video, the ministry reaffirmed that all individuals admitted to Saint Lucia under the TCN programme undergo rigorous background screening and meet strict eligibility requirements established for the initiative.

    Although the video has become entangled in the broader, already heated public debate over the TCN programme, law enforcement officials have stressed that the investigation into the man’s threatening statements is being handled as an independent case separate from any broader policy discussions. Authorities continue their efforts to locate the man and address the safety risks outlined in his comments.

  • Internationale rechtsorde, investeringen en klimaat rode draad bij VN-speech Simons

    Internationale rechtsorde, investeringen en klimaat rode draad bij VN-speech Simons

    The 81st iteration of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is set to convene in New York from September 21 to 24, bringing heads of state and government from across the globe together to address pressing international challenges. This year’s assembly carries the overarching theme “Rebuilding Trust, Reforming Governance: A UN That Delivers Results for All”, and Suriname President Jennifer Simons will take center stage during the general debate on September 22, scheduled as the fourth speaker of the afternoon session, according to Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation Melvin Bouva.

    In her upcoming address to the global assembly, President Simons will outline three core priorities for Suriname on the international stage, starting with a firm reaffirmation of the country’s commitment to upholding the international rules-based order. Minister Bouva confirmed that Simons will deliver a clear message on the necessity of binding multilateral agreements and collective action to address global issues. He emphasized that the Surinamese government remains a staunch supporter of multilateralism, believing that transnational challenges can only be resolved when all nations work together in accordance with mutually agreed upon norms.

    Beyond multilateral diplomacy, the Surinamese delegation will use the UNGA gathering as a platform to advance bilateral diplomatic and economic goals. The government has already pre-planned a full schedule of bilateral meetings with neighboring countries, regional partners with existing strategic ties, and other globally important nations. Border relations and existing strategic partnerships will take top priority during these discussions, according to Bouva.

    A key economic focus of these bilateral engagements will be attracting international investment to Suriname’s growing oil and energy sector. As an emerging oil-producing nation, Suriname is eager to leverage the UNGA platform to showcase its economic potential to the global investment community. Bouva stressed that any future investment negotiations will be conducted from a position of equal standing, with Suriname’s national interests always placed front and center. “That is our starting point, and based on that starting point, we are open to doing business with the world,” Bouva stated.

    Climate action and forest conservation will also feature prominently in President Simons’ address. Last year, an international coalition of five major conservation and environmental organizations pledged $20 million to support Suriname’s efforts to protect its forests and biodiversity. Bouva acknowledged that the Surinamese government has not yet met all the legal requirements outlined in the funding agreement, but he confirmed that the administration is currently taking steps to formalize the commitments through domestic legislation to secure the funding.

    This high-profile appearance at UNGA marks a key moment for Suriname as it seeks to position itself as a responsible global actor while advancing its own economic and environmental goals on the world stage.

  • Police at centre of alleged illegal migration of Cubans to Brazil

    Police at centre of alleged illegal migration of Cubans to Brazil

    Fresh updates from Guyana dated September 17, 2026, confirm an official internal investigation has been launched into explosive allegations that law enforcement and immigration personnel have been accepting bribes to help Cuban nationals exit the country illegally through remote border routes. The claims center on the Lethem Trail, a remote backcountry pathway that connects Guyana’s border region to neighboring Brazil, where suspects are accused of facilitating unauthorized movement of foreign nationals in exchange for illegal payments.

    The corruption allegations first came to light over the past three weeks, after the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) took multiple Cuban nationals into custody during enforcement operations. Multiple law enforcement sources, speaking on background to Demerara Waves Online News, confirm that detained Cubans accused on-duty police and immigration officers of soliciting inflated bribes to allow their unimpeded departure from Guyana. The increased bribe demands reportedly emerged after CANU ramped up arrests of unauthorized travelers, turning the detainees and their formal statements over to national police for further processing.

    Additional context surrounding the case reveals a rift between two transportation operators that service the Lethem border route. One of the operators is reportedly closely affiliated with a senior high-ranking law enforcement official, and the disagreement stems from claims that corrupt practices have created an uneven playing field for competing businesses along the route.

    Following the spread of the allegations on social media, Guyana’s Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken formally ordered the Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) to launch a full internal probe to verify the claims and clarify the full circumstances of the alleged activity. In an official statement released by the Guyana Police Force, Commissioner Hicken emphasized that corruption and professional misconduct will not be tolerated within the agency, stressing that no member of the force will receive protection if evidence of wrongdoing is uncovered. “Any rank found to have violated the law or broken departmental regulations will face severe, appropriate consequences in line with national legislation and established disciplinary protocols,” Hicken warned.

    Law enforcement officials are also urging members of the public and any individuals with relevant information or evidence connected to the allegations to share details with OPR investigators to support the ongoing inquiry.

  • VS haalt Venezuela na ruim twintig jaar van lijst landen die tekortschieten in drugsbestrijding

    VS haalt Venezuela na ruim twintig jaar van lijst landen die tekortschieten in drugsbestrijding

    In a significant shift in U.S. drug policy toward Latin America, the United States has removed Venezuela from its list of countries deemed to have demonstrably failed to meet international counter-narcotics obligations, ending more than two decades of the country’s placement on the designation. The change was formally announced by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who credited increased cooperation between Washington and Venezuela’s interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez for the policy adjustment.

    Venezuela first landed on the strict “demonstrably failed” counter-narcotics blacklist back in 2005. As recently as 2025, the country was grouped alongside Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar and Colombia as the five nations failing to meet U.S. counter-narcotics standards. For the upcoming 2027 U.S. fiscal year budget certification, only Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar and Colombia remain on that restricted list.

    President Trump submitted the updated certification to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday. In his submission, he explained that progress on counter-narcotics collaboration has been achieved since the change in leadership in Venezuela, highlighting joint efforts between U.S. authorities and the interim Venezuelan government to crack down on transnational drug cartels. Per reporting from news agency Reuters, Trump specifically called out successful operations targeting the notorious criminal organization Tren de Aragua as evidence of improved cooperation.

    It is important to note that the delisting does not remove Venezuela entirely from all U.S. drug-related watch lists. The country still retains its place on a broader secondary roster of 23 nations that Washington identifies as major transit or production hubs for illegal narcotics. That broader list also includes regional neighbors Mexico, Peru, Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas, alongside Colombia.

    The two separate designations carry distinct meaning and consequences. The broader list simply reflects the scale of drug production or transit activity that passes through a given country, regardless of government action. The smaller, stricter blacklist from which Venezuela was removed represents a formal U.S. judgment that a national government is not fulfilling its international counter-narcotics commitments.

    Venezuela’s removal from this stricter designation thus marks a clear turning point in Washington’s assessment of the interim government’s efforts, coming against a backdrop of dramatically transformed bilateral relations between the U.S. and the current Venezuelan interim administration.

    In addition to the announcement on Venezuela, Trump also signaled that Colombia could be removed from the strict blacklist in the future if the country continues to make measurable progress reducing drug production and trafficking. For the 2027 certification cycle, however, Colombia will remain on the list of failing nations.

  • Trans Guyana Airways plane runs off interior airstrip

    Trans Guyana Airways plane runs off interior airstrip

    On Thursday morning, September 17, 2026, an incident involving a Trans Guyana Airways (TGA) aircraft unfolded at Guyana’s Mabaruma airstrip when the plane veered off the runway during landing, multiple on-scene sources have confirmed.

    The aircraft involved in the incident is registered under the markings 8R-GCC. Thankfully, all passengers and crew on board escaped without injury, emergency authorities confirmed shortly after the event.

    As of initial reports, investigators have not yet pinpointed the exact root cause of the runway excursion. Early preliminary speculation among aviation sources points to strong gusty winds as a potential contributing factor, but this hypothesis has not been verified through official inspection.

    First responder teams, including local firefighting units, were immediately dispatched to the airstrip as a standard precautionary measure. Upon arrival, crews confirmed there was no smoke, fire, or other hazardous conditions at the site, reducing the overall risk level of the incident. Further updates on the official investigation into the incident are expected to be released by TGA and Guyana’s civil aviation authority in the coming days.

  • UN chief warns of global uncertainty as world leaders prepare for General Assembly

    UN chief warns of global uncertainty as world leaders prepare for General Assembly

    Ahead of the high-level week of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, which will bring global leaders together in downtown Manhattan, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has framed the gathering against a backdrop of seismic shifts in global power dynamics and rapidly escalating systemic uncertainty. With Guterres set to step down from his post at the end of 2026, he used a pre-General Assembly press conference at UN Headquarters on September 16 to argue that the changing global landscape demands adaptation from the United Nations, while emphasizing that organizational reform must never come at the cost of core founding principles. Instead, he argued, these values must be defended with renewed conviction. “The United Nations is not just a platform, it is a promise,” Guterres told reporters. “So my message to leaders comes down to this: Keep your promises. Live up to the UN Charter. Be true to the ideals you pledged to uphold. Defend international law. Protect human rights. Invest in sustainable and inclusive development. And push for peace. Now more than ever.”

    Calls for sweeping UN institutional reform have gained momentum in recent years, coming from a diverse coalition of stakeholders ranging from vulnerable small island developing states to major powers including the United States. But as leaders prepare to convene, the full attention of the international community remains anchored to the escalating, ongoing conflict roiling the Middle East – a crisis Guterres identified as the most urgent priority ahead of the General Assembly’s debates. “De-escalation must be priority one, priority two and priority three,” he stressed, calling on all warring parties to immediately halt all operations that target or harm civilian populations, and to clear all barriers to unimpeded, safe access for humanitarian aid workers and supply convoys.

    Guterres also issued a clear call for international law to be upheld in critical strategic waterways: he demanded that navigational rights and freedoms be fully restored and respected around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, global chokepoints that carry a large share of the world’s seaborne trade. He reiterated that the only viable path out of escalating regional tension runs through “de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue.”

    Turning specifically to the long-simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Secretary-General urged the international community to not turn away from the catastrophic humanitarian suffering of Palestinian communities in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He insisted any finalized peace plan for Gaza must be implemented in full, with no restrictions on the entry and distribution of life-saving humanitarian aid. He also called for an immediate end to what he termed the “creeping annexation” of West Bank territory, stressing that a lasting, just peace across the Middle East can never be achieved without the full implementation of a two-state solution.

    Guterres also addressed the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, noting that the conflict is now entering its fifth year, with unthinkable civilian toll and cascading negative impacts on the global economy and food security that extend far beyond Eastern Europe. “It is time for an immediate ceasefire as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace – in line with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant UN resolutions,” he said.

    Shifting focus to emerging transnational challenges that will dominate General Assembly agenda items next week, Guterres turned to the rapid, unregulated advancement of artificial intelligence, calling for urgent global action to address growing risks associated with the technology. He acknowledged that AI holds unprecedented transformative potential: it can speed progress toward the UN’s sustainable development goals, expand access to quality education, strengthen global public health systems, and boost communities’ ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change. But he also highlighted that even leading AI developers are increasingly sounding the alarm that the technology is advancing far faster than global regulators’ and societies’ understanding of its catastrophic potential risks.

    “We cannot afford to ignore concerns that have been raised, especially by those on the frontlines of the development of AI,” Guterres said. He emphasized that national governments bear the primary responsibility for protecting their citizens from AI-related harms, noting that meaningful risk mitigation requires far more than vague good intentions from global policymakers. To address this gap, the United Nations has already established the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, a global body that brings together leading scientific expertise from across the world to ensure AI governance policy is rooted in robust empirical evidence. Guterres confirmed that AI will be a central topic in his bilateral and multilateral discussions with world leaders during high-level week, and that the UN is actively working to advance practical, actionable policy frameworks for safe AI development in the coming weeks.

    Guterres argued that the international community must build a shared global consensus on how to advance the safe, secure, and responsible development of AI, including establishing clear frameworks for when more powerful AI systems require stricter safeguards or additional regulatory intervention to mitigate systemic risks. “This requires genuine international cooperation and a coordinated global effort,” he said, acknowledging deep geopolitical divides around AI governance but warning that these splits must not be allowed to derail urgent work to improve global AI safety.

    Climate change, another longstanding core priority for the UN, was also flagged as a key issue for the upcoming General Assembly, with Guterres implicitly tying the need for cross-border cooperation on AI to the larger demand for collective action on slowing global temperature rise and supporting vulnerable developing states.

  • UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction stands “shoulder to shoulder with Cuba”

    UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction stands “shoulder to shoulder with Cuba”

    On a Wednesday morning in September 2026 at Havana’s Palace of the Revolution, Cuba’s highest-ranking leader Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, welcomed Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), for high-level talks focused on disaster risk management, global solidarity, and the ongoing impacts of the U.S. blockade on Cuba’s crisis preparedness capacity.

    Opening the dialogue, Kishore framed his visit around two core purposes: advancing collaborative work on disaster risk reduction, and demonstrating explicit solidarity with the Cuban people amid their long-standing challenges. He confirmed that UNDRR consistently adds its voice to the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on the harm caused by the blockade, documenting the policy’s tangible far-reaching repercussions for Cuban communities. “We are fully aware of the devastating effects this blockade has, and we recognize the pain and hardship it imposes on the Cuban people,” Kishore stated. He emphasized that the United Nations stands firmly alongside Cuba during this difficult period, and that UNDRR will leverage all available resources to support Cuban efforts to strengthen disaster resilience and advance national development priorities.

    During the conversation, Kishore also offered public recognition of Cuba’s significant achievements in building out early warning systems and community-level population protection frameworks. He noted that Cuba’s experience, developed even under severe resource constraints, serves as a valuable model for nations across the globe.

    In his welcoming remarks, President Díaz-Canel underscored the profound importance of Kishore’s visit to Cuba at this critical juncture, and extended gratitude for the consistent technical and institutional support UNDRR has provided to the country over the years. He acknowledged Kishore’s personal commitment to advancing global disaster risk reduction and scaling evidence-based best practices across the world.

    Díaz-Canel went on to outline the extraordinary challenges Cuba currently faces, as the long-standing U.S. blockade has been significantly intensified, particularly a de facto energy blockade that ripples through every sector of the country’s economic and social life. He described the blockade as an unexaggerated “genocidal and criminal policy” that directly undermines Cuba’s ability to invest in and maintain disaster risk reduction infrastructure and systems. For Díaz-Canel, the UNDRR chief’s visit amid these struggles stands as a meaningful gesture of international support and understanding of Cuba’s reality.

    The Cuban leader reaffirmed Cuba’s unwavering commitment to the UNDRR mandate and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the landmark global agreement adopted in 2015 at the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan. Endorsed by the UN General Assembly, the Sendai Framework centers on a core goal: cutting disaster-related losses of life, livelihoods, health, and economic, social, cultural and environmental assets substantially, while affirming that states hold the primary responsibility for reducing disaster risk within their borders.

    Against the backdrop of growing global climate impacts, Díaz-Canel stressed that both the Sendai Framework and UNDRR play an increasingly critical role in protecting vulnerable communities worldwide. He confirmed that Cuba remains eager to collaborate with UNDRR, drawing on the Caribbean nation’s decades of on-the-ground experience in disaster management to advance shared global goals.

    Díaz-Canel emphasized that Cuba stands as a global example: even under extreme material constraints, the constant pressure of external aggression, and the crippling impact of the decades-long blockade, strong political will and intentional organizational investment can deliver major progress in disaster risk reduction. He explained that this progress is possible when national policies prioritize protecting people, critical infrastructure, and key assets, and build robust capacity for both disaster response and post-event recovery.

    As a case in point, the president noted that during the current Atlantic hurricane season—one of the most recurrent and dangerous natural hazards facing the island—Cuba has rolled out full early warning and protection measures for people, property and critical resources, exactly as it would under normal operating conditions, despite the widespread hardships caused by the intensified blockade and ongoing energy restrictions.

    In line with Sendai Framework commitments, Díaz-Canel added that Cuba has recently updated its national institutional and regulatory frameworks for disaster risk reduction, including a national coordination platform that extends all the way to the grassroots, reaching local defense zones and community-level organizations. The country has made major investments in expanding early warning infrastructure and establishing dedicated disaster reduction centers, and has integrated cutting-edge science and innovation into its national governance program focused on risk mitigation.

    “Our country has built up practical experience that we are fully willing to share, and we have already shared much of it with fellow nations across the Caribbean region,” the president stated. This includes training for regional personnel, open access to research from Cuba’s landmark Tarea Vida (Life Task) initiative, which addresses climate change-driven sea level rise and coastal adaptation, and full transparency around the methodologies and operational procedures that underpin Cuba’s national disaster risk reduction platform.

    The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides. Accompanying Kishore were Nahuel Arenas, Head of the UNDRR Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, and Saskia Carusi, Deputy Head of the regional office. Cuban attendees included Division General Ramón Pardo Guerra, Chief of the National Civil Defense General Staff; Anayansi Rodríguez Camejo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and First Colonel Luis Ángel Macareño Véliz, Deputy Chief of the National Civil Defense General Staff.