Above: Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: ABG)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Antigua and Barbuda will soon be receiving a $2 million grant from the government of Turkey, Antigua’s government announced this week.

The grant came following a meeting between Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Meeting in New York last week.

The grant will target “project development,” Antigua’s government said.

According to a statement, Browne proposed that Turkey establish a diplomatic mission for the Caribbean based in Antigua and Barbuda, while Erdogan reportedly said he would welcome an Antigua and Barbuda embassy in Turkey.

Erdogan said his government would cover the cost of rent for the proposed facility for five years.

Turkey is one of several countries that have been steadily deepening their ties with the Caribbean region.

In July, Turkey held a high-profile summit with CARICOM, signaling its “clear and long-term engagement” with the Caribbean region.

That included the proposal of an eventual free-trade agreement between the Caribbean Community and Turkey.