Antigua and Barbuda could gain access to Canadian climate funding despite restrictions linked to its income classification, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said following discussions at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Speaking at the summit’s closing press briefing on Wednesday, Browne said Canada had indicated it would remove an obstacle affecting access to climate assistance for countries such as Antigua and Barbuda.

“For climate purposes, they have indicated that they will eliminate that impediment,” he said.

Browne said the change could provide a new source of funding to help the country adapt to climate change and reduce its effects. He did not announce a funding amount or a date when assistance would become available.

The prime minister disclosed that Antigua and Barbuda had also submitted a proposed cooperation agreement to Canada as part of efforts to strengthen relations.

“We’ve actually sent a formal cooperation agreement to Canada for their consideration,” Browne said.

He said Canada had expressed an interest in pursuing stronger bilateral relations with Caribbean countries and was expected to announce measures offering assistance in several areas.

Browne made the comments while responding to questions about opportunities arising from his meetings with Commonwealth leaders, including the prime ministers of Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

He described those discussions as work in progress, with potential cooperation extending beyond climate funding to education and trade.

Antigua and Barbuda hopes to explore joint degree programmes, student exchanges and opportunities to obtain goods at lower prices than those available from its traditional suppliers, he said. Canada was among the countries being considered as a source of imports.

Browne said the government expected to use the relationships strengthened during CHOGM to secure opportunities across several sectors.

The proposed cooperation agreement remains under Canadian consideration, while the climate assistance outlined by Browne represents a potential funding opportunity rather than an announced allocation to Antigua and Barbuda.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Canada could open climate funding to Antigua and Barbuda despite income restrictions.