Antigua and Barbuda has named its representative to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States’ (OECS) new embassy in the Kingdom of Morocco.
Senior Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kurt Williams, will depart the island this week to take up the posting in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, where he will serve as First Secretary in the embassy for an initial assignment of two years.
The embassy is the first diplomatic presence of the OECS grouping on the African continent.
Williams was treated to warm send-off when the Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, and Foreign Minister, E.P. Chet Greene joined with the staff of the ministry for a special luncheon in his honour last week.
The Prime Minister thanked Williams for accepting the challenge, noting that it is sometimes difficult to find people with requisite skills and experience to fill such a post.
He also urged other staff within the ministry to learn from Williams’ book by continuing to further develop their capacities so that they too may benefit from the opportunities that may arise in the future.
“Over the decades Antigua and Barbuda has been left behind because the regional offices are filled by non-Antiguans. We don’t have many Foreign Service Officers serving within the OECS and CARICOM space, so from that standpoint you are a trailblazer,” Browne told Williams.
Foreign Affairs Minister Greene also shared similar sentiments, encouraging Williams to represent his country well.
“Kurt’s example should be a motivation to those of you who have set your sights on the foreign service as a career path. As we witness today’s dynamism in global relations, we in the Foreign Affairs Ministry are all in agreement that the work of diplomats is quintessential,” Greene said.
Williams thanked both the prime minister and the foreign minister for their words of encouragement and he said while his duties are about seeking benefits for the OECS as a whole, he would always have Antigua and Barbuda’s best interests in mind at all times.
He also expressed gratitude to the staff in the ministry for their support over the years.
“I will miss everyone. Morocco is quite far and is a different culture. While I will not be representing just Antigua alone, I will seek to strengthen co-operation with Morocco and the OECS and bring added benefits to Antigua and Barbuda,” Williams said.
The OECS embassy will monitor and report on political, economic and other developments in Morocco and the wider African theatre. Williams joined the Foreign Affairs ministry six years ago and he is a Chevening Scholarship recipient.