Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has proposed the possible resettlement of several hundred Palestinian refugees in the country, contingent on support from international partners.
Speaking in Parliament this week, Skerrit revealed that the government intends to engage the governments of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as the United States, to explore the feasibility of the initiative.
“We’ll be working to engage the government of Qatar and the government of Saudi Arabia and the government of UAE with a view to quite possibly allowing the resettlement of a couple hundred Palestinians into Dominica,” he said.
Skerrit said the initiative would depend on financial backing from these countries, particularly for infrastructure support. Discussions with the United States are also expected to form part of the effort.
Highlighting the potential benefits of the move, the Prime Minister noted that Palestinian professionals could help address skills shortages in Dominica.
“You have very talented people in this country—top-class doctors, top-class engineers—who we believe can assist us in our efforts towards growing the economy and filling the gaps where we have some skills deficiencies,” he said.
No timeline was provided for when discussions would begin or how many refugees could ultimately be resettled.
The proposal comes amid growing international concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza and ongoing efforts by several nations to provide support to displaced Palestinians.