The award also acknowledges India’s support to Dominica in health care, education, and information technology during Prime Minister Modi’s tenure and his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives.
The government of Dominica said that the ceremonial presentation of the Dominica Award of Honour, the highest national award of the Commonwealth of Dominica, will be conferred on PM Narendra Modi for his invaluable contributions to Dominica during the COVID-19 pandemic and for demonstrating solidarity and commitment to the partnership between Dominica and India.
A statement by the office of the Dominican prime minister said the President of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Sylvanie Burton, would confer the award at the forthcoming India-CARICOM Summit, which will be held in Georgetown, Guyana, from November 19 to 21.
“In February 2021, the Prime Minister of India supplied Dominica with 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine- a very kind donation, which allowed Dominica to expand assistance to its Caribbean neighbors,” said the official statement.
The award also recognizes India’s support for Dominica in healthcare, education, and information technology under Modi’s prime ministership, as well as his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives and sustainable development at the global level, the statement read.
“The award is an expression of Dominica’s gratitude for Prime Minister Modi’s solidarity with Dominica and the wider region,” the statement quoted Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit as saying.
“Prime Minister Modi was a friend to Dominica, especially in our hour of need during a global pandemic. Giving Prime Minister Modi the highest national honor of Dominica is a gift of thanks for his support and reflects the strong solidarity between our countries. We are excited by this partnership and look to advance an overarching shared vision of progress and resilience,” he said.
Welcoming the award offer, the Prime Minister noted that challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts had made the need for global cooperation imperative. He also said that India would continue to work with Dominica and the Caribbean region in addressing issues like these.
President Burton and Prime Minister Skerrit will attend the India-CARICOM Summit, where India and the Member States of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, will discuss a set of priorities and new opportunities for cooperation.
