SVG Establishes Formal Diplomatic Relations With Comoros, Djibouti, the Dominican Republic and Senegal

The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, in pursuit of its agressive and active foreign policy of principled engagement with all countries of the world, has recently established formal diplomatic relations with the Union of the Comoros, the Republic of Djibouti, the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Senegal.

Comoros, Djibouti and Senegal are all African countries, and the formal relations with those States represent a further manifestation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' outreach to the African continent. The majority of the Vincentian polulation is of African descent, and the establishment of ties with African States is a cornerstone of the Government's foreign policy.

Each of the African countries to recently establish relations with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was approached with significant strategic objectives. Comoros, like Saint Vincent and the Grenadies, is a small, multi-island archipalegic State of volcanic origin. The common geographic features of Comoros and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the strong agriculture and fisheries sectors, and the many opportunities and chalenges posed by globalisation, are all fertile areas for sharing experiences, and forging multually agreeable multilateral stances.

Djibouti is another small country that is transitioning to a service based economy, much like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Republic also borders and trades heavily with Ethiopia, a country that both Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and Foreign Minister Sir Louis Straker have visited repeatedly. The people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have expressed a great deal of interest in Ethiopia and its regional neighbours.

Senegal is a West African State, and was the departure point for a number of enslaved Africans bound for the Caribbean. The infamous Gorée Island is located in Senegal, as is Saint-Louis, another major transit point in the slave trade. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and much of the Caribbean, has important ancestral, historical and cultural links to Senegal.

The establishment of formal relations with the Dominican Republic is more the correction of an historical oversight. Saint Vincent and the Grenadies are regional neighbours, trading partners, and have frequent friendly interactions. The establishment of relations is merely a formal recognition of the longstanding relations that have existed between the two governments and among its respective peoples.

Comoros is a multi-island state of 800,000 people located between Madagascar and Mozambique. The people of Comoros speak French and Arabic. The GDP (PPP) of Comoros is approximately $1.26 billion. Comorans rely heavily on agriculture (coconuts, bananas, cassava, vanilla, perfume essences), fishing and small service industries (tourism and perfume).

More Information on Comoros: BBC Country Profile | CIA Factbook | Wikipedia