The Government of Grenada hosted the inaugural Grenada-EU Task Force Meeting on December 4, 2024, in partnership with the European Union (EU).
The meeting was on Sargassum Valorisation which is the process of finding ways to use Sargassum biomass to reduce its environmental impact and create value.
This collaborative meeting was held at the Radisson hotel in Grenada with an aim to comply on the pledges that have been taken in order to keep the environment safe.
This meeting was attended by several delegates including the representatives from Grenadian Government, private sector companies, international financial institutions (IFIs), multilateral development banks (MDBs), European development agencies, and other key stakeholders.
Discussions held during the meeting
The delegates exchanged significant dialogues aiming to tackle an environmental challenge caused due to Sargassum. The authorities aimed at transforming this obstacle into economic and ecological resource for Grenada and the wider Caribbean.
The event also fostered discussions on the need of the financial contributions by IFIs, MDBs, and EU agencies such as GIZ and Expertise France. They noted that such significant funding by these organizations would play a huge role in helping the nation to face hurdles in their way of leading Grenada towards sustainable development.
All the companies participated at the event presented several strategic solutions that can be implemented with a vision to address the Sargassum issue.
PM Dickon Mitchell on the meeting
The Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell pledged to collect and process 10,000 tons of Sargassum by 2026 during the 2nd EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference.
Shedding light on this meeting, PM Mitchell said that it is a significant step undertaken by them towards achieving this ambitious target, aiming to tackle the challenges caused due to Sargassum.
The representatives of the companies held significant discussions focusing on offshore collection, resource mobilization, and the development of scalable pilot projects, aiming to lead the nation towards growth and development.
This meeting also outlined the commitment of Grenada and the EU, aiming to advance sustainable Sargassum management, leveraging innovation and international cooperation to support environmental sustainability, social well-being, and economic growth.
