St. Vincent and the Grenadines has become the first Caribbean nation to establish a Consulate General in Northern Ireland.
The full resident diplomatic presence is located in Comber, Co Down, a town with historical links to the West Indies and close to Stormont Parliament.
Vincentian, Dr. Christopher Stange has been appointed Consul General and said the decision is “part of a wider commitment to the diplomatic network, as an extension of our High Commission in London, to further international relations by our Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
“Northern Ireland has been identified as an emerging market with an increasing Caribbean community, peace and stability, coinciding with 2018 marking the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and its relationship to Ireland. St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ diplomatic presence on the ground allows us to work more effectively to further trade, cultural, sport and international links between countries”, he said.
David Sterling, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to The Executive Office, said: “We welcome the establishment of this new consulate office here. I congratulate Dr Stange on his appointment as Consul General for St. Vincent and the Grenadines and we look forward to learning more about each other and opportunities for co-operation.”
St. Vincent and the Grenadines established diplomatic relations with the UK on October 27, 1979, and Ireland on April 30, 2015.
