Bahamas Prime Minister in his capacity as CARICOM Chair leaves for Martinique on Saturday for high level discussions with French President Francois Hollande ahead of the Conference of Parties scheduled for Paris during November and December of this year.

Accompanying the Prime Minister will be Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell.

During his Martinique meeting with President Hollande, Prime Minister Christie is expected to advance the policy position of CARICOM on climate change as the Community seeks a consensus, actionable commitments and an implementation plan on this critical global issue.

Known as “Paris 2015,” France will play host to the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21/CMP11) to be held from November 30th to December 11th. COP21 will seek a new international agreement on the climate with the aim of keeping global warming below 2°C. France and the European Union will play a key role in securing a consensus by the United Nations in these critical climate negotiations.

Prime Minister Christie told the media that he is hopeful of returning to Nassau on Saturday to participate in the conclusion of the inaugural 2015 Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival.

Mitchell meanwhile joins local reparation committee chair Philip Smith in Guadeloupe on Sunday for the unveiling of a memorial to the transatlantic slave trade and to participate in further discussions on reparations and other matters in connection with this historic event.

The Foreign Minister is due back in Nassau on Monday.