Increasing food security, addressing the climate crises and vulnerability and debt restructuring were at the top of the list of matters discussed earlier today when World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley yesterday at Ilaro Court, Two Mile Hill, St Michael.
The cordial talks came against the backdrop of the groundbreaking ceremony for the WFP Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub & Centre of Excellence at Perimeter Road, Christ Church, earlier that day.
The WFP Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub & Centre of Excellence will be a key component of Barbados and the region’s long-term capacity to respond to emergencies, providing appropriate warehousing and training solutions. The facility will be developed in coordination with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and the Participating States.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Prime Minister Mottley thanked the WFP for identifying Barbados as the site for this WFP Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub & Centre of Excellence, and explained that with the increase in natural disasters and manmade crises, having sufficient logistical response systems in place to respond to these challenges was critical.
“Without food and without security, in the aftermath of a natural disaster, you have a national security problem within 24 hours. Without security and without access to food and water, you have a national security problem within 24 hours,” Prime Minister Mottley said.
“Barbados is therefore ideally placed to be able to ensure with the help of the World Food Programme and CDEMA that we can provide that geographical location from which you can reach multiple countries both in the Caribbean island chains and coastal Latin America, in no time at all,” she added.
Meanwhile, Executive Director Beasley described the new WFP centre as a “great opportunity”, adding that it was a strategic decision to locate the site in Barbados.