New Delhi: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Caribbean nations, Dominica has announced the highest national award, the Dominica Award of Honour for his immense contribution to the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The Commonwealth of Dominica will bestow its highest national award, the Dominica Award of Honour, upon His Excellency Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India in recognition of his contributions to Dominica during the COVID-19 pandemic and his dedication to strengthening the partnership between India and Dominica," according to the statement released by the government on Wednesday.
The Dominican President will confer the award during the upcoming India-CARICOM Summit. It is worth noting India supplied Dominica with 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in February 2021 —a generous gift which enabled Dominica to extend support to its Caribbean neighbours.
The major announcement came days before PM Modi set to visit Guyana marking a significant milestone, being the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in over half a century.
Dominica lauds PM Modi's contribution in IT sector
Besides, Dominica recognised India's support for the Caribbean nation in education and information technology under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. The country also lauded his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives and sustainable development on a global level.
Prime Minister Skerrit said the award is an expression of Dominica’s gratitude for PM Modi’s solidarity with Dominica and the wider region. "Prime Minister Modi has been a true partner to Dominica, particularly during our time of need amid a global health crisis. It is an honour to present him with Dominica’s highest national accolade as a symbol of our gratitude for his support and as a reflection of the strong ties between our countries. We look forward to building on this partnership and advancing our shared vision of progress and resilience,"
What PM Modi says
In accepting the offer of the award, PM Modi emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling global challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts, and affirmed India’s commitment to working alongside Dominica and the Caribbean in addressing these issues. "Her Excellency Sylvanie Burton, President of the Commonwealth of Dominica and Prime Minister Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit will attend the India-CARICOM Summit, a forum to discuss shared priorities and new avenues for cooperation between India and CARICOM member states," read the statement.
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