Symmonds: ‘Don’t depend on US to support what matters to us’

Barbados must recalibrate its global partnerships as a shift in US foreign policy threatens support for climate and renewable energy causes that are central to the nation’s interests, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kerrie Symmonds declared on Friday.

Bridgetown must no longer depend on the US to support “those things that matter most to us”, he said, reflecting a refocused relationship with Washington. Symmonds told Barbados TODAY of a time when both countries shared similar perspectives and priorities — a position which he indicates no longer exists.

Symmonds was responding to this week’s decision by the Donald Trump administration to withdraw the US from 66 United Nations‐related and non‐UN global organisations, including many that work to combat climate change, promote renewable energy, and monitor economic development.

One of the prime targets is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) — a treaty that underpins all international efforts to address global warming.

The US also severed ties with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — the world’s leading authority on climate science that compiles the most respected reports on rising global temperatures — as well as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Solar Alliance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The US has also pulled out of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) along with the broader economic and social commission (ECOSOC).

Barbados continues to be at the forefront of agitating for climate justice and is also a leader in the renewable energy agenda.

In tracing Washington’s shift away from these previously shared perspectives, Symmonds recalled that last August 29, the US announced that for the first time in 50 years the president was exercising his authority under its Impoundment Control Act to cancel more than US$5 billion (BDS$10bn) in foreign aid and international organisation funding.

He said this “pocket rescission”, as it was called, was triggered because the beneficiaries of the funding conflicted with the administration’s “America First” priorities.

Some of the rescinded money included US$3.2bn (BDS$6.4bn) which was earmarked for the now‐defunct US Agency for International Development (USAID).

To be included in that money, the senior minister pointed out, was a US$400m (BDS$800m) partnership commitment with the Green Climate Fund for the purposes of assisting in the establishment of the proposed Barbados Blue Green Bank and its climate mitigation efforts.

“We understood then that our very important relationship with our friends in Washington was no longer going to be characterised by the same kind of shared perspectives and priorities as we had been accustomed to; and we wished them well and proceeded to refocus our efforts on the continued advancement of our own interests,” the foreign minister contended.

He argued that the situation is no different now.

Symmonds acknowledged that the “whole world” does not necessarily share the same perspective on the importance of clean energy and climate.

“And so,” he suggested, “we have to accept that while we would always welcome the continued US presence and partnership, if they no longer feel any passion for these issues, then we can only wish them the very best, and continue to work towards providing the necessary security and development opportunities for this country, this region and its citizens.”

“It may now become more challenging than it otherwise would be, but we must do our duty; we are a people who are very accustomed to challenge and to the need for creativity, and we have always understood that those things that matter most to us are often secondary, if not inconsequential, considerations for others.”

On Thursday, energy consultant and former president of the Barbados Renewable Energy Association (BREA), Aidan Rogers, warned that the renewable energy industry could take a major hit as key sources of international funding come under threat, following the US pullout from a long list of multilateral organisations.

Rogers, who is the strategic adviser for a $700m high‐tech renewable energy hybrid power plant scheduled to start construction by March, contends that this latest action by Trump is more troubling to him than the Venezuela conflict.

He cautioned that the withdrawal could potentially have a negative effect on the hybrid renewable energy power facility slated for Harrow Plantation in St Philip.

“It could have implications for that and other clean tech projects in terms of their potential funding sources through these institutions,” he cautioned, adding, though, that it’s still a question of waiting to see how it all unfolds. emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb