Tuesday, November 10, 2020 — Head of the OECS Permanent Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva today presented credentials to the Director General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, H.E Tatiana Valovoya.

In an effort to raise its level of engagement in Geneva, the OECS Commission through its Permanent Delegation has moved to strengthen its presence at the United Nations and other International Agencies in Geneva by accrediting Mr. Stephen Fevrier as Ambassador and Permanent Observer to the United Nations Office.

In addition to effectively representing the interests of OECS Member States at the World Trade Organisation, the OECS Geneva office has played a critical role in the OECS Commission’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Mission has worked closely with UN agencies and development partners to access critical COVID-19 testing equipment as well as personal protective equipment for Member States. The Mission has also played a key role in deepening engagement with multinational private sector partners with a view to procuring ventilators.

In congratulating Ambassador Stephen Fevrier on the upgrade in the level of operation of the Mission, Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules noted that the Mission is delivering at a high level and has proven effective in responding to the needs of Member States.

In addition to ongoing negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Mission has been mandated to continue to explore and deepen partnerships that are supportive of the efforts of Member States in their response to the pandemic.

The OECS Mission is currently the Coordinator of CARICOM Group in Geneva and Ambassador Stephen Fevrier serves as the Chair of the Working Group on Trade and Transfer of Technology at the WTO.