The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Daniel P. Erikson, said that the Caribbean Nations Security Conference which opens in Jamaica this week, will strengthen partnerships with the United States, Caribbean governments, and regional and multilateral institutions to tackle important challenges.
Mr. Erickson made his comments during a conference call with Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks, as they discussed the upcoming conference in Jamaica.
The Caribbean Nations Security Conference (CANSEC) will be co-hosted by Jamaica Defence Force Chief of Defence Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman and U.S. General Laura Richardson, the Commander of U.S. Southern Command.
It is scheduled for June 6-8, 2023 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“The Caribbean Nations Security Conference is the pre-eminent inter-governmental forum for addressing Caribbean security challenges, where the region’s security leaders will discuss pressing issues including cyber security, climate change, and transnational crime, and strengthen partnerships with the United States, Caribbean governments, and regional and multilateral institutions to tackle these important challenges,” says Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Daniel P. Erikson.
This year’s conference theme is “Strengthening Regional Security Through Informed Action.” This conference will provide a forum for executive-level discussion of the evolution of the regional threat environment in the Caribbean, the protection of critical infrastructure in the cyber domain, and the armed forces’ role in climate resilience.
In commenting on the conference, Ambassador Marks said “the U.S. sponsored regional security forum will encourage defense and security leaders to strengthen ties of cooperation and explore ways to improve security measures.”
This is the first time in the history of both institutions that they are being led by women; General Laura Richardson and Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness is expected to address the conference on Wednesday, June.
Prior to addressing the conference on Wednesday, National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Commander of U.S. Southern Command General Laura Richardson.
In preparation for the conference, Jamaica’s Ambassador Audrey Marks held discussions with Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, and the US Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael Gilday at the historic United States Naval Observatory (USNO) in Washington DC.
