The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) announced that on the 17th of October, Taiwan, the United States, and Saint Lucia co-hosted the “Global Cooperation and Training Framework” (GCTF) Security Forum in Saint Lucia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China issued a press release stating that “the Embassy of the Republic of China in Saint Lucia, along with the U.S. Embassies in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and the government of Saint Lucia, held the ‘Global Cooperation and Training Framework’ (GCTF) Security Forum on the theme of ‘Social Security and Crime Prevention: Current Situation and Prospects’ in Saint Lucia on the 17th, discussing the root causes of criminal behavior in the Caribbean countries and seeking to improve security conditions and strategies to prevent various types of crimes.”
The forum was co-opened by the Ambassador of the Republic of China in Saint Lucia, Chen Jiayan, and Mark Lambert, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the United States. The keynote speakers included Jeremiah Norbert, Minister of Internal Affairs, Crime Prevention, and Disability Affairs of Saint Lucia, and Barbara Feinstein, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the United States. The closing remarks were delivered by Joachim Henry, Minister of Social Justice of Saint Lucia.
Saint Lucian dignitaries such as Alvina Reynolds, President of the Senate, Claudius Francis, Speaker of the House, and Leslie Mondesir, Director of Public Prosecutions, actively participated in the event. Additionally, over 190 officials, scholars, law enforcement professionals, and opinion leaders from the region attended either in person or online.
The two sessions of the forum focused on “Social Security: Exploring the Root Causes of Crime, Risk Factors, and Prevention” and “Crime Prevention: Approaches to Various Types of Crimes.” The sessions were moderated by Roger Nyhus, U.S. Ambassador to Barbados, Mervyn Farroe, USAID Caribbean Regional Representative, and officials, experts, and scholars from the United States and the Caribbean participated in the discussions.
Prosecutors Wu Xiezhan from the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office and Chen Yufeng from the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office in Taiwan shared their practical experiences and related research online. The discussions were lively, with various analyses and recommendations put forward regarding the current security situation.
In his speech, Ambassador Chen Jiayan emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in law enforcement among like-minded nations. By providing training and sharing resources, countries can enhance their capabilities in combating crimes and create a safer and more conducive environment for the people of the Caribbean region. Minister Norbert stressed that crime is a public health and social issue, and security conditions are not solely the responsibility of governments and police. Saint Lucian enterprises, communities, families, and civil society should collaborate across sectors to reduce the likelihood of crime from its source.
This is the third consecutive year that the GCTF has held events in Saint Lucia since opening the overseas membership model in 2021. It demonstrates the growing role and benefits of the GCTF as an international cooperation incubation platform in the Caribbean region. Taiwan will continue to promote the influence of shared values, share relevant experiences, and assist in the capacity building of regional countries.