Minister Burke, who arrived from the United Arab Emirates after attending the Inaugural First Session of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), said that the visit to Europe “is an investment that needs to be made in order to help mobilise much needed financial and technical resources for Grenada”.
“We can’t just sit at home and wait with the hope that our development needs will be satisfied. We must become proactive,” Burke said.
Prior to his arrival in Brussels, Mr Burke, who also has ministerial responsibilities for Planning, Economy, Energy and Cooperatives, also paid a brief visit to Norway where he held discussions with a number of public and private sector entities aimed at generating assistance to explore and develop Grenada’s oil and energy potential.
The Minister, who is accompanied by Ambassador Stephen Fletcher, met with Professor Benjamin Van Camp, Pro-rector of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Chairman of University Hospital Brussels (UZBrussel). Professor Van Camp left Brussels on Sunday for a one-week visit to Grenada, where he would be conducting an initial evaluation and assessment of the Grenada Health Care System with a view to determining areas where the University could assist.
The two-member delegation is expected to visit Luxembourg, Belgium, Austria and France where they will meet with the European Investment Bank (EIB), OPEC Fund (OFID), the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance of the Republic of France, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Africa, Caribbean & Pacific Group of States Secretariat, and the European Union.
While in Brussels Minister Burke would attend a meeting of ACP Ministers with responsibility for European Union Development Funding Programmes.