NEW YORK/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saint Lucia, a Caribbean island nation, officially established diplomatic relations during a ceremony at the Pakistan Mission in New York on Tuesday.
Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Ambassador Menissa Rambally, his counterpart from Saint Lucia, signed a joint communiqué on behalf of their respective countries.
Ambassador Akram expressed his pleasure at being part of the ceremony that formalized diplomatic ties between the two friendly nations. Ambassador Rambally also voiced her delight, marking the occasion as the beginning of a significant new chapter in bilateral relations.
She highlighted the connection through former West Indies cricketer Darren Sammy, who is an honorary Pakistani citizen and often speaks highly of Pakistan and its hospitality.
Ambassador Akram noted that Pakistan and Saint Lucia have been cooperating in multilateral forums, including the Commonwealth. He stated that the establishment of formal relations would provide a foundation for expanding bilateral ties.
The Pakistani envoy also mentioned the shared passion for cricket between the people of Pakistan and Saint Lucia, believing that formal diplomatic relations would pave the way for mutually beneficial engagements in trade, commerce, political cooperation, and tourism.
“We look forward to stronger people-to-people connections. There is immense tourism potential in both countries that can be explored through increased tourist visits,” said Ambassador Akram.
Ambassador Rambally thanked her Pakistani counterpart for hosting the ceremony and expressed her personal appreciation for his insights. She felt humbled by his remarks about her country and its people.
She added that Pakistan and Saint Lucia already enjoyed a strong relationship and actively cooperated at various forums. However, the establishment of formal diplomatic relations would enhance the opportunity to build on this existing relationship.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, officers of the Pakistan Mission, and a delegate from the Permanent Mission of Saint Lucia.
