Grenada yesterday officially requested Malta's help with the development of its information and communication technology programme.
Taking the cue from Lawrence Gonzi's announcement last Thursday that Malta was prepared to set up and fund a Commonwealth unit dedicated to fight poverty with technology, Grenada's Prime Minister Keith Mitchell personally delivered a letter to the Prime Minsiter proposing co-operation in this area.
Mr Mitchell said his Government was interested in Malta's expertise in the area with a view to develop the Caribbean island state as a regional centre for ICT.
In his address at the official opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which kicked off in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday, Dr Gonzi said Malta was prepared to fund a special co-ordinating unit that would help deliver the Commonwealth's primary ICT programme, known as Commonwealth Connects.
Speaking after yesterday morning's executive meeting at the idyllic Munyonyo retreat centre, Dr Gonzi said proposals such as Grenada's tied in with the discussion initiated during the Malta CHOGM in 2005 to help small states deal with the challenges of globalisation.
Yesterday's session focused mostly on development and climate change, on which the heads of government are hoping to issue strong statements this afternoon - when CHOGM ends.
Dr Gonzi said he was hoping the meeting would send a constructive message ahead of the UN's climate change conference, which will be held in Bali early next month.
The Prime Minister also commented positively on the decision of the EU's current Portuguese presidency to formally commit to Malta's proposal for structured talks between the EU and the Arab league.
He said Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister Louis Amado had sent an official invitation to the members of both sides asking them to send high level officials to a meeting on December 11, which would pave the way for a ministerial meeting between the two blocs.
Dr Gonzi said this was an important move, and timely since it followed a meeting between EU and African states on December 8 and 9 on migration, security and development issues.