CARICOM, Italy strengthen bilateral ties as new envoy assumes office

The Caribbean Community, CARICOM, on Thursday strengthened its diplomatic ties with the Italian Republic following the accreditation of Italy’s new Ambassador, Her Excellency Giuditta Giorgio.

Speaking during a virtual accreditation ceremony held on Thursday, CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett, described the development as a continuation of a longstanding relationship between both parties which began more than two decades ago.

Barnett noted that the partnership gained momentum after the accreditation of the first Italian Ambassador to CARICOM in 2004, adding that the relationship had continued to expand through cooperation in several strategic areas.

She commended Italy for consistently advocating for Small Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States at international platforms including the Group of Seven, Group of Twenty and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The CARICOM Secretary-General referenced Italy’s contribution under the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation, particularly a six-million-euro intervention aimed at strengthening the national energy grids of 11 CARICOM member states.

According to her, both parties have also collaborated in areas of sustainable development and environmental protection to preserve the region’s fragile marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Barnett further praised Italy’s support for the 15th Caribbean Festival of Arts, CARIFESTA XV, held in Barbados last year, noting that the initiative helped introduce Italian fashion to the Caribbean market.

She also noted the growing academic partnerships between Italian universities and The University of the West Indies, alongside diplomatic initiatives facilitated by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the security situation in Haiti, Barnett said CARICOM remained concerned over the country’s multidimensional crisis and ongoing transition towards general elections.

She welcomed continued international support for the Gang Suppression Force established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2793, stressing that Italy’s role in peacebuilding efforts remained important.

“We welcome the international community’s continued commitment, specifically support for the Gang Suppression Force established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2793,” she said.

Barnett also expressed appreciation for Italy’s collaboration on initiatives targeted at combating illicit financial flows and money laundering across the region.

She called for Italy’s support in advocating reforms to the global financial architecture, particularly through the operationalisation of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index aimed at addressing the unique challenges faced by small island states.

Responding, Ambassador Giorgio reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to strengthening relations with CARICOM through ongoing cooperation in environmental, energy and development projects.

She disclosed that Italy was supporting regional initiatives through a €50 million soft loan arrangement in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank.

“Italy attaches great importance to the Caribbean region, as shown by the growing relevance of the relations with Latin America and the Caribbean in Italian foreign policy,” the ambassador stated.

Africa’s 14-Year-Old Sets Sights on LA Gold

A 14-year-old Egyptian athlete, Farida Khalil, has captured global attention after emerging as one of the world’s most promising young obstacle-course competitors, with her family setting sights on a gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Khalil, who trains at El Shams Sporting Club in Egypt, has rapidly risen through the ranks of the sport since beginning competitive participation in youth championships in 2021, prompting comparisons with some of the world’s elite athletes despite her young age.

Dressed in a black Team Egypt T-shirt bearing a golden image of Horus, the ancient Egyptian sky god symbolising power and royalty, the teenager undergoes an intensive training regime under the supervision of her father and coach, Ahmed Abu Hashem.

At the club, Khalil navigates demanding obstacle courses, leaping from elevated platforms and manoeuvring across suspended metal ladders with remarkable agility and strength, skills that have helped establish her as a rising force on the international stage.

According to Abu Hashem, the teenager’s rigorous training schedule reflects the lofty ambitions surrounding her career.

“The schedule for Farida is very strong,” he said.

“We are building a big dream, so every minute has to count. This spirit is what makes Farida different from others all over the world.”

Abu Hashem disclosed that Khalil’s progression through the sport was so rapid that she quickly outgrew youth competitions and began competing against senior athletes.

He said the family became convinced of her exceptional potential after analysing her performances against global benchmarks.

“We found we were winning with very competitive scores,” he explained.

“I started calculating the world records and found that Farida can break them very easily.”

Khalil’s rise comes as Egypt continues to strengthen its profile in international sports, with the North African nation producing a growing number of athletes capable of challenging for honours on the world stage.

With the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles now firmly in view, Khalil and her team believe she can convert her remarkable promise into Olympic success, a feat that would further cement her status as one of Africa’s brightest young sporting talents.

If successful, the Egyptian teenager could become one of the youngest African athletes to win Olympic gold, adding another chapter to her rapidly growing reputation as a world-class competitor in the making.

Ethiopia Suspends Voting in Conflict-Hit Areas as Abiy Seeks Fresh Mandate

Voting in Ethiopia’s general election was suspended in parts of the Oromia and Amhara regions on Monday over security concerns, even as millions of voters queued across the country to participate in a poll expected to hand Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his ruling Prosperity Party another term in office.

Chairperson of Ethiopia’s National Election Board, Melatwork Hailu, said more than 50,000 polling stations opened nationwide, but 143 failed to commence operations due to insecurity.

The election, Ethiopia’s seventh since the fall of the Marxist military regime in 1991, is taking place amid lingering conflicts and political tensions that have prevented large segments of the population from participating.

The entire northern Tigray region, which is still recovering from a devastating civil war that ended in 2022, was excluded from the exercise, with no voting taking place across its 38 constituencies.

Casting his ballot on Monday, Abiy praised Ethiopia’s democratic progress and defended the country’s political trajectory.

“The Ethiopian people have demonstrated that they do not need anyone to advise or lecture them in order to build their state and establish a democratic system,” the Prime Minister said.

Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is observing the election on behalf of the African Union, reportedly described the voting process as smooth in areas where polling was taking place.

Abiy, who has led Ethiopia since 2018, is widely expected to secure another term through the Prosperity Party.

Under Ethiopia’s electoral system, voters elect members of the 547-seat parliament, while the party that wins at least 274 seats earns the right to form the next government.

The 49-year-old leader rose to power following widespread anti-government protests against the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, the coalition that had governed the country since 1991. He later dissolved the coalition and established the Prosperity Party.

However, opposition figures have questioned the competitiveness of the election.

Veteran opposition politician Merera Gudina described the poll as the least competitive in recent Ethiopian history, alleging that opposition parties faced significant restrictions.

“We are participating symbolically because the law says you cannot boycott elections consecutively,” he said.

Abiy, once celebrated internationally for introducing democratic reforms and securing peace with neighbouring Eritrea, won the Nobel Peace Prize 2019 after ending a two-decade military standoff between the two countries.

His administration, however, has since faced growing criticism from rights groups and media watchdogs over alleged suppression of dissent, arrests of journalists and restrictions on political opponents.

The Prime Minister’s government also came under scrutiny following the two-year war in Tigray, which began in 2020 and reportedly claimed hundreds of thousands of lives while pushing the region to the brink of famine.

Despite the criticism, supporters argue that Abiy has overseen major economic and infrastructure reforms.

His government has embarked on large-scale urban renewal projects in the capital, Addis Ababa, while implementing economic reforms backed by international financial institutions.

According to World Bank estimates, Ethiopia’s economy remains one of Africa’s fastest-growing, with GDP per capita projected to rise to $1,133 in 2026 from $641 in 2016.

Nevertheless, security challenges continue to threaten stability in key regions.

Violence involving Fano militias in Amhara and the Oromo Liberation Army in Oromia has resulted in thousands of deaths and mass displacement.

Conflict monitoring group ACLED reported that more than 9,400 people were killed in the two regions in 2024 alone.

Although the government insists that 97 per cent of areas in Amhara and Oromia were ready for elections, opposition groups disputed the claim, arguing that insecurity prevented effective campaigning.

Analysts say the election outcome is unlikely to be in doubt, but warn that Ethiopia still faces serious internal challenges.

Horn of Africa expert Magnus Taylor of the International Crisis Group said Abiy would be confident of re-election, but cautioned that insurgencies, insecurity and tensions in Tigray continued to pose significant risks to the country’s stability.

The situation in Tigray remains particularly sensitive, with disagreements between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front over governance, territorial disputes and implementation of the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement raising fears of renewed conflict.

More than 50.5 million Ethiopians registered to vote in the election, with many citizens expressing hope that the process would deliver greater political stability and economic progress.

Abiy’s Prosperity Party secured a landslide victory in the previous election in 2021 and remains the overwhelming favourite to retain power when results are announced.