EAM arrives in Jamaica on first official visit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has arrived in Jamaica on his first visit to the Caribbean nation to boost bilateral relations between the two countries.

Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening on the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago to further bolster India’s strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.

“Pleased to arrive in Kingston for my first visit to Jamaica. Touched by the warm welcome extended by Foreign Minister @kaminajsmith,” Jaishankar posted on social media. 

He was welcomed by Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina J Smith, on his arrival in Kingston.

“Look forward to engaging with the Jamaican leadership, business community, and members of the Indian diaspora over the next two days,” he said. 

“Looking forward to welcoming Minister S Jaishankar to Kingston as his first stop in the Caribbean, and the first Bilateral visit of an Indian External Affairs Minister to Jamaica. The work continues as we strengthen cooperation between our countries at the bilateral, hemispheric and multilateral levels,” Smith had posted on social media before Jaishankar’s arrival. 

Jaishankar is expected to have bilateral engagements and interactions with prominent business leaders and members of the Indian community in Jamaica.

During his nine-day tour, Jaishankar will meet with the leadership of the three countries and hold talks with his counterparts covering the entire gamut of bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement ahead of his visit.