Foreign Affairs Minister Chet Greene (right) with Yutaka Matsubara, Ambassador of Japan. Photo: Antigua Observer

Foreign Affairs Minister Chet Greene met with Ambassador of Japan Yutaka Matsubara yesterday as the three-day summit in Grenada drew to a close.

Minister Greene praised the relationship between the two countries and thanked Japan for its timely support towards the successful hosting of the fourth United Nations International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4).

He also thanked Japan for its long-standing support to Antigua and Barbuda over the last 40 years, such as to the country’s fisheries sector. Minister Greene requested upgrades to the existing fisheries complexes, to maximise on trade and storage capacity for the government. He also requested technical support for the agriculture and fisheries sector, and expressed gratitude to the Japanese government for its donation of reverse osmosis plants which have helped increase local water production.

Ambassador Matsubara said Antigua and Barbuda had displayed tremendous leadership on the global stage and further brought focus to issues of climate change and the plight of small island developing states.

He pledged that Japan would continue to support Antigua and Barbuda in the area of water conservation through its donation of desalination plants. He also said Japan would continue to assist Antigua and Barbuda with tackling invasive sargassum seaweed.

The parties also discussed the appointment of an honorary consul, along with upgrades to West Bus Station.