New York, September 27, 2024 – Saint Lucia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alva Romanus Baptiste, expressed deep concern over the effects of climate change on small nations during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. He emphasized the need for international support for the most affected countries by this global crisis.

Baptiste stressed the urgency of building a political agenda to address climate change, stating that the world owes compensation to these nations for “the injustice of the climate crisis we are enduring, caused by the countries that have driven their own economic development.”

Regarding global issues, Baptiste made clear that Saint Lucia “condemns terrorism in all its forms, regardless of who commits it or where it occurs,” with a particular focus on the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.

He also reminded the Assembly that “since its independence, Saint Lucia has called for the recognition and establishment of the Palestinian State,” and condemned the “unnecessary obstacles that still prevent this from happening.”

Baptiste further emphasized that no State should become complicit in the aggression against the Palestinians, asserting that “the solution is neither impossible nor out of reach: the Palestinian people must be able to exercise their right to self-determination.”

In reference to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Baptiste pointed out that the right to self-determination means that this nation should be allowed to manage its own internal affairs without interference from other states.

Lastly, he condemned the sanctions and blockades imposed on brother nations, expressing solidarity with both Cuba and Venezuela.