Canada, Caribbean bloc vow stronger bilateral ties at Ottawa summit

FILE PHOTO: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Keith Rowley at the Canada-CARICOM Summit in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo

(Reuters) - Canada and the Caribbean's Caricom regional bloc on Thursday announced the launch of a "strategic partnership" encompassing closer bilateral ties on trade, development, finance, environment, healthcare and security.

"We can benefit tremendously from being with Canada," Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley said at closing remarks with Canada's Justin Trudeau in Ottawa, adding that the benefits are "not only in dollars and cents".