Dear Editor,
Your editorial of Sunday, 11th July 2013 entitled, "EU: new broom sweeps clean, but old broom knows the corner" asserts that there has been an absence of serious diplomacy in Great Britain and the EU. It also makes a number of misleading statements about the activities of our missions in London, Brussels, Berlin, and Geneva and the nature of our relations with the European Union.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade understands the strategic importance of our relations with the EU. The ministry continues to make a concerted effort to strengthen these relations, not only in European capital, but also in multilateral fora and in Kingston. The fact that other poles of influence have emerged and engage our attention does not mean that there is a declining relationship with the EU and its member states.
Your editorial referred to recent changes in the EU sugar arrangements and sought to link this to the effectiveness of Jamaica's diplomacy. The 2006 reform of the EU Sugar regime and the unilateral renunciation by the EU of the Sugar Protocol in 2007 were tied to the WTO ruling in the case against the EU export subsidies for sugar and the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Lobbying by Jamaica and other ACP sugar-producing countries led to the provision of financial support. More recent reforms under the CAP will see, in 2017, the end of sugar production quotas enjoyed by European beet sugar producers. ACP sugar producers, including Jamaica, as indirect beneficiaries of the production quotas, joined EU sugar producers in lobbying for the continuation of the sugar quotas to 2020. These internal EU policy changes stand to affect adversely all ACP sugar-producing countries and not just Jamaica. It is clearly unfair, therefore, to attribute this development to a failure of Jamaica's diplomacy.
The future of EU aid to Jamaica and ACP countries must also be placed in context. Economic constraints have resulted in a decrease in the EU's aid budget. There has also been a shift in the EU's development co-operation policy to focus on countries considered most in need, as outlined in their Agenda for Change. As a result, middle-income countries are expected to receive reduced allocations beginning with the next European Development Fund in 2014. There have been similar developments with other bilateral donors and multilateral aid agencies. Jamaica continues to advocate that special consideration be given to middle income developing countries and small-island developing states.
The foreign ministry and all our diplomatic missions are charged with the promotion of trade, investment and tourism. We work in close collaboration with JAMPRO, JTB and the private sector to take advantage of the market access opportunities which have been negotiated and to penetrate not only the European but also the global market.
Your assertions on our diplomatic presence in London also miss the mark. Focus on engagement with the Jamaican Diaspora in London and around the world will remain a priority of our foreign policy. However, other foreign policy objectives remain central to the work of the high commission, including the promotion of trade, investment and tourism. Representation is provided to the Commonwealth, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and international commodity organisations in London, while the Mission covers six other countries in the form of concurrent accreditation.
Since 2009, Jamaica and other Caricom high commissions have made concerted efforts to lobby the UK Government on the Airline Passenger Duty (APD). At the initiative of the Jamaican High Commissioner, a new high-level committee was established at the beginning of this year to work in conjunction with the Caribbean Coordinating Committee to seek the re-banding of the Caribbean region.
Finally, on your prescriptions on the level of Jamaica's representation in Europe, three of the four Jamaican representatives in Europe occupy the highest posts which exist in the Jamaican foreign service. All four posts in Europe are filled by senior and experienced representatives who carry out their duties with
great dedication and commitment and who have been effective in advancing Jamaica's interests in their areas of responsibility.
Paul Robotham
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
We are working, working, working -- MFAFT
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Your editorial of Sunday, 11th July 2013 entitled, "EU: new broom sweeps clean, but old broom knows the corner" asserts that there has been an absence of serious diplomacy in Great Britain and the EU. It also makes a number of misleading statements about the activities of our missions in London, Brussels, Berlin, and Geneva and the nature of our relations with the European Union.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade understands the strategic importance of our relations with the EU. The ministry continues to make a concerted effort to strengthen these relations, not only in European capital, but also in multilateral fora and in Kingston. The fact that other poles of influence have emerged and engage our attention does not mean that there is a declining relationship with the EU and its member states.
Your editorial referred to recent changes in the EU sugar arrangements and sought to link this to the effectiveness of Jamaica's diplomacy. The 2006 reform of the EU Sugar regime and the unilateral renunciation by the EU of the Sugar Protocol in 2007 were tied to the WTO ruling in the case against the EU export subsidies for sugar and the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Lobbying by Jamaica and other ACP sugar-producing countries led to the provision of financial support. More recent reforms under the CAP will see, in 2017, the end of sugar production quotas enjoyed by European beet sugar producers. ACP sugar producers, including Jamaica, as indirect beneficiaries of the production quotas, joined EU sugar producers in lobbying for the continuation of the sugar quotas to 2020. These internal EU policy changes stand to affect adversely all ACP sugar-producing countries and not just Jamaica. It is clearly unfair, therefore, to attribute this development to a failure of Jamaica's diplomacy.
The future of EU aid to Jamaica and ACP countries must also be placed in context. Economic constraints have resulted in a decrease in the EU's aid budget. There has also been a shift in the EU's development co-operation policy to focus on countries considered most in need, as outlined in their Agenda for Change. As a result, middle-income countries are expected to receive reduced allocations beginning with the next European Development Fund in 2014. There have been similar developments with other bilateral donors and multilateral aid agencies. Jamaica continues to advocate that special consideration be given to middle income developing countries and small-island developing states.
The foreign ministry and all our diplomatic missions are charged with the promotion of trade, investment and tourism. We work in close collaboration with JAMPRO, JTB and the private sector to take advantage of the market access opportunities which have been negotiated and to penetrate not only the European but also the global market.
Your assertions on our diplomatic presence in London also miss the mark. Focus on engagement with the Jamaican Diaspora in London and around the world will remain a priority of our foreign policy. However, other foreign policy objectives remain central to the work of the high commission, including the promotion of trade, investment and tourism. Representation is provided to the Commonwealth, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and international commodity organisations in London, while the Mission covers six other countries in the form of concurrent accreditation.
Since 2009, Jamaica and other Caricom high commissions have made concerted efforts to lobby the UK Government on the Airline Passenger Duty (APD). At the initiative of the Jamaican High Commissioner, a new high-level committee was established at the beginning of this year to work in conjunction with the Caribbean Coordinating Committee to seek the re-banding of the Caribbean region.
Finally, on your prescriptions on the level of Jamaica's representation in Europe, three of the four Jamaican representatives in Europe occupy the highest posts which exist in the Jamaican foreign service. All four posts in Europe are filled by senior and experienced representatives who carry out their duties with
great dedication and commitment and who have been effective in advancing Jamaica's interests in their areas of responsibility.
Paul Robotham
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
We are working, working, working -- MFAFT
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