St Kitts and Nevis engages in bilateral talks with Singapore and Austria to advance Global Partnerships

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Denzil Douglas held a series of key bilateral meetings with representatives from Singapore and Austria on July 6, 2025. These meetings were held prior to the 49th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. Both bilateral meetings highlighted the active diplomacy and commitment of St Kitts and Nevis to foster and strengthen partnerships rooted in mutual respect, sustainable development and global justice. 

Foreign Minister Dr Douglas who is also the Chair of CARICOM’s Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), stated that St Kitts and Nevis remain dedicated to the development of partnerships based on mutual respect and which in turn promotes sustainable growth. 

Discussions with the Singapore delegation

During their meeting with the Singapore delegation which was led by Karen Tan and Ambassador Rena Lee, the leaders reaffirmed their support for greater diplomatic relations and cooperation. Topics discussed included climate justice, digital transformation, green tech, and public service training.

Ambassador Lee spoke about Singapore’s role in climate justice internationally which they promote through the “WIPO Green” - a technology exchange platform for green innovation. Prime Minister Drew and Karen Tan also talked about the idea to setup a Singapore resident mission in the Caribbean to work closely with the region.

Meetings with Austria’s Special Envoy

In another meeting with Austria’s Special Envoy, Ulrike Lunacek, the delegates discussed shared values in support for human rights, sustainable energy, disarmament, and global peace efforts.Austria also supported the CARICOM Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) and backed the efforts to push for a regional energy transition.

PM Drew highlighted the need to treat climate change as a security and justice issue, which is particularly a matter of great importance to small island nations that are at the risk of being affected by extreme weather and rising sea levels. 

The Austrian delegation also reported on the progress of reforms in the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme. They welcomed the ongoing positive efforts at the regional level, to ensure transparency and encourage continued cooperation with European partners.