The Right Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, has arrived in Antalya, Türkiye, to participate in the High-Level Leaders’ Segment of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), where world leaders are gathering to advance international cooperation and address urgent global climate priorities.
The Prime Minister received an official welcome upon arrival, with senior Turkish government officials, including Deputy Ministers, the Governor of Antalya and the Garrison Commander, among those present. The welcoming ceremony featured a military guard of honour, while two children presented flowers to the Prime Minister as a gesture of hospitality.
Prime Minister Browne was also greeted by Antigua and Barbuda’s Climate Ambassador and Acting Director of the Department of Environment, H.E. Ruleta Camacho Thomas, who is already in Antalya leading the country’s technical delegation at COP31.
While the technical delegation continues its work in the climate negotiations, the Prime Minister will engage fellow world leaders and international partners, advocating for the delivery of affordable, accessible and effective climate finance to protect people, communities and economies in climate-vulnerable countries such as Antigua and Barbuda.
His participation at COP31 builds on Antigua and Barbuda’s climate advocacy during the recently concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), hosted in St. John’s, where climate resilience, sustainable development, ocean conservation and the mobilisation of financing for vulnerable countries featured prominently on the agenda.
At COP31, Prime Minister Browne is expected to emphasise the importance of translating international climate commitments into concrete action, particularly through strengthened partnerships, increased investment in climate-resilient development and practical support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
A central concern for Antigua and Barbuda remains the anticipated overshoot of the critical 1.5°C global temperature threshold. For SIDS, limiting the scale and duration of this overshoot is essential, as rising sea levels, increasingly severe weather events and other climate impacts threaten communities, infrastructure, livelihoods and long-term development.
The Prime Minister’s programme also includes high-level discussions on South-South cooperation with the People’s Republic of China, with a focus on strengthening partnerships in technology transfer, renewable energy, climate innovation and capacity building to support sustainable development.
He is also expected to participate in discussions on the global clean energy transition, green industrialisation and the implementation of the Paris Agreement, highlighting the need for international cooperation that responds to the particular vulnerabilities and development priorities of small island states.
Antigua and Barbuda’s participation at COP31 reflects its continued commitment to advancing the interests of Small Island Developing States and ensuring that international climate negotiations deliver practical outcomes, accessible financing and meaningful support for countries on the frontlines of climate change.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda prime minister arrives in Türkiye for COP31.