(AGENPARL) – gio 06 ottobre 2022 PRESS RELEASE
2022-396-EN
Luxembourg/Barbados and St Lucia, 6th October 2022
First EIB Global visit to the Caribbean to announce new initiatives in the region
First visit of EIB Vice President, Ricardo Mourinho Félix to the Caribbean
The EIB delegation will discuss additional financing opportunities for Barbados and St Lucia, following the arrival of the bank’s new representative to the Caribbean, Kristina Eisele
Meetings with high-level representatives and signature of a new loan in the healthcare sector demonstrate the EIB’s strengthened engagement in the region
Vice President of the European Investment Bank, Ricardo Mourinho Félix, will lead a high-level delegation, alongside the Ambassador of the European Union to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM, Ma?gorzata Wasilewska, during his first visit to the Caribbean as Vice President responsible for the region.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) delegation will begin a four day visit to Bridgetown and Castries on Monday 10th October, to reaffirm the EU bank’s commitment to projects promoting sustainable development in the Caribbean. Ricardo Mourinho Félix will announce finance for a healthcare project in St Lucia and will hold meetings with key stakeholders in Barbados to cement the close working relationship between the EIB and the Caribbean.
Ahead of the visit, Ricardo Mourinho Félix, European Investment Bank Vice President said, “As the EU climate bank, the EIB is committed to providing high-impact investment in the Caribbean in the context of the wider EU Team Europe Initiative. The EIB can offer targeted funding to support the region facing the effects of climate change and I will announce more finance for projects in the Caribbean during my visit this week. As the Bank of the European Union and as part of Team Europe, we have launched EIB Global, a new branch devoted to international partnerships and development finance. Through these solid partnerships we support Caribbean countries to scale up their inclusive green transition, leading to a sustainable post-COVID recovery.”
European Union Ambassador to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM to Ma?gorzata Wasilewska said: “ I am very much looking forward to the first visit by EIB Vice President Ricardo Mourinho Felix to the Caribbean region. Through the activities of the European Investment Bank, the Caribbean people can benefit from financing initiatives of the European Union such as the Green Deal and the Global Gateway. These initiatives all help to counter the consequences of climate change, the impact of the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the effects of the pandemic”
First visit of the Vice President to the Caribbean and new EIB representative in Barbados
During the four day visit to the Caribbean, the European Investment Bank is expected to announce new support for investment in the health care sector in St Lucia.
The EIB’s Vice President, Ricardo Mourinho Félix will meet Prime Minister of St Lucia, Philip Joseph Pierre on Monday 10th October and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Motley on Wednesday 12th October.
Vice President, Ricardo Mourinho Félix, the EIB’s new representative in the country, Kristina Eisele and the delegation from the bank will attend the launch of the new Regional Partnerships between the CARIFORUM countries and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen on 12 October.
Following the launch of EIB Global this year, the visit will enable a closer working relationship with the Caribbean authorities including the ministerial, banking and regional representatives the delegation will meet this week.