Iceland very similar to Barbados

Despite the obvious differences between Iceland and the Caribbean, the two regions are looking at increasing their strategic links according to the Jamaica Gleaner.

Last month, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Iceland, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, attended a conference in Barbados and spoke about the surprising similarities between the two island nations.

Although their climates may be different, both Barbados and Iceland share features including a small population and limited resources. Both island nations are remote and liable to be highly affected by natural disasters. The cost of transportation and communication for both Iceland and Barbados is high and both areas depend highly on international trade.

“The right combination of confidence, conviction and realism yields the best results,” Gisladottir said at the conference.

The conference lasted three days and included representatives from the government, the public sector and business. At the end of the conference, participants identified three solid areas of cooperation for the future.

The three areas include combating climate change through the mobilisation of technical and financial resources, investing in renewable energy resources and sharing expertise in the fisheries industry.

The two countries are also considering the possibilities of signing agreements in the future on double taxation, transportation, investment and social issues.