St Kitts and Nevis’ recent political history has been signposted by the development of strong ties with the international community, in an effort to both deepen existing relations and create new ones.
September and August 2017 were no different, as St Kitts and Nevis established diplomatic ties with Moldova and Qatar, and strengthened its bilateral relations with long-term ally Taiwan.
On 8 September, Dr Kevin M. Isaac, High Commissioner of St Kitts and Nevis to the United Kingdom, signed a communiqué launching diplomatic relations between his nation and Moldova. The signing ceremony took place at the Embassy of Moldova in London.
A diplomatic bond between St Kitts and Nevis and Qatar
A diplomatic bond between St Kitts and Nevis and Qatar was officialised on 17 August by Ambassador Sam Terrence Condor and Ambassador H.E. Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, who both represent their nations at the United Nations.
Cooperation between St Kitts and Nevis and Qatar intensified last year following a trip to the Middle Eastern country by Prime Minister Dr the Honourable Timothy Harris, who noted that the Government was “committed to building long-term relations with vibrant states such as Qatar” as part of a wide bilateral and multilateral engagement strategy “in the framework of the South-South dialogue.”
On 24 August, at a meeting with Prime Minister Harris, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, H. E. José María Liu, spoke on behalf of Taiwan’s President to promise greater collaboration, focusing particularly on Taiwanese demand for local produce, investment in the Federation, and assistance in the development of infrastructure.
Dr Harris took the opportunity to underline that, in 1983, Taiwan became St Kitts and Nevis’s first-ever diplomatic contact, and expressed the hope that “this long, unbroken relationship with Taiwan […] is as treasured and as special [to Taiwan] as it is for the people of St Kitts.”
Improvements in relations with countries across the globe are also reflected in St Kitts and Nevis’ ability to provide visa-free travel to its citizens. In a press release dated 1 August 2017, Mr Les Khan, CEO of the nation’s Citizenship by Investment Unit noted that “we’re at about 150-155 countries that we can travel freely to.” Indeed, citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis has never looked so advantageous to the international traveller.