Jamaica has strengthened its bilateral relations with the Federal Republic of Nigeria following the signing of an Agreement on Technical Cooperation in Health, on the margins of the High-level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Agreement was signed last week by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith and Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu. The Agreement is intended to facilitate the recruitment of specialist health professionals from Nigeria to Jamaica in areas where additional specialised expertise is required to address shortages within Jamaica’s public health system. The Agreement also forms part of Jamaica’s wider effort to build critical international partnerships that respond to human resource needs across key sectors, including healthcare. Just this week, Jamaica welcomed 43 specialist nurses from the Republic of Ghana under a similar agreement. The nurses bring expertise in emergency care, critical care, paediatrics, oncology, mental health and midwifery, and will serve in public hospitals across the island. #mfaftja

Jamaica has welcomed today’s decision by the United Nations (UN) Security Council to extend the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti and is urging the international community to back the renewal with the personnel, financing and equipment needed to make the Force more effective for the next six months. The Council’s decision follows sustained advocacy by world leaders and foreign ministers from across the globe, including Jamaica, for continued international support to Haiti. Foreign Minister Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith reiterated Jamaica’s call for renewal of the GSF mandate during the delivery of the country’s National Statement to the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly on Saturday (September 26). Here's the story.

Foreign Minister, Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith, held a brief exchange with Benin’s Foreign Minister, Corinne Amori Brunet @corinneamoribrunet, in New York. 1/2

From a new 220-bed children’s hospital to public-sector training, agricultural cooperation and support for Hurricane Melissa recovery, Jamaica’s partnership with the People's Republic of China has clear examples of projects with a direct positive impact on national development. At the UNHQ in NY, Foreign Minister, Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith, participated in the opening segment of the High-Level Dialogue marking the fifth anniversary of the Global Development Initiative (GDI). In her presentation, Minister Johnson Smith expressed appreciation as she reflected on more than five decades of Jamaica–China cooperation and the value of development partnerships that are aligned with national priorities and that deliver practical results across infrastructure, health, agriculture, capacity building, trade and investment. #mfaftja

Jamaica and Nigeria are building on 56 years of diplomatic relations, with a growing emphasis on practical cooperation in health, energy, mobility and skills exchange. Foreign Minister, Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith, met with Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu @Ojukwu_Bianca, on the margins of the High Level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The two Ministers reviewed progress across the bilateral agenda, including health cooperation. The meeting comes as both countries continue to broaden people-to-people and professional exchanges, including through Nigerian nursing specialists now serving in Jamaica and ongoing discussions in education and tourism. #mfaftja

I extend my sincere gratitude to Her Excellency, @kaminajsmith, Minister of @mfaftja of Jamaica for her kind words endorsing my candidacy for the position of @UN Secretary General during her intervention at the General Debate of the 81st Session of the @UN General Assembly.

Foreign Minister, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith🇯🇲, today delivered Jamaica’s National Statement during the General Debate of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Jamaica reaffirmed its call for stronger, more effective multilateralism, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), whose voices and priorities must remain central to the global conversation. #mfaftja

H.E. Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica @UN #GeneralDebate 🔗Access the recording and transcript of the statement here: gadebate.un.org/en/81/jamaic… #UNJournal #UNGA81 © UN Photo/Loey Felipe

🇯🇲 TUNE IN LIVE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith will deliver Jamaica’s National Statement to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York. Join us as Jamaica addresses the international community and sets out the country’s perspectives and priorities on the issues shaping our shared future. 📺 Watch live on UN Web TV at webtv.un.org/en #UNGA81

Day 4 of #UNGA81 brought another full schedule of dialogue, bilateral meetings and high-level engagements as Jamaica continued advancing its national and regional priorities in New York. Watch and listen as Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith shares an update.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable @kaminajsmith, met with His Excellency Félix Plasencia González, Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Venezuela, at the Permanent Mission of Venezuela in New York for bilateral discussions on matters of mutual interest. Minister Johnson Smith and Minister Plasencia González reflected on the solidarity shown by each of their countries in the wake of recent natural disasters, including mutual support for relief and recovery following Hurricane Melissa late last year and the earthquakes in Venezuela earlier this year. They also reflected on the longstanding relationship between the two countries and opportunities for continued engagement. #mfaftja