Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, will be the Special Guest at the 31st Intersessional Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which will take place from Tuesday, February 18, to Wednesday, February 19, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
Prime Minister Trudeau will be accompanied by his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, and will arrive in the island on Monday, February 17. While here, he will hold talks with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley at her official residence, and engage in bilateral discussions with members of Cabinet. He is also scheduled to meet with CARICOM Secretary General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque prior to the start of the summit.
Mrs. Trudeau will also participate in a number of separate engagements.
Prime Minister Trudeau will take part in a special tree planting ceremony on Monday, February 17, at the National Botanical Gardens, where he and Prime Minister Mottley will deliver remarks, before he unveils a plaque to commemorate the occasion.
Later that evening, he will be the special guest at a dinner with CARICOM Heads of Government.
On Tuesday, February 18, the Canadian leader will attend the opening session and plenary of the CARICOM Summit and meet in caucus with regional leaders, before departing the island for Ottawa later in the day.
The visit of the Canadian leader will be an opportunity to further strengthen the ties between CARICOM member states and Canada.
This will be Mr. Trudeau’s first visit to Barbados as prime minister.
In 2007, former Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, visited Barbados.