By Ministry Of Finance
The Government of the French Republic and the Government of Saint Lucia signed the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and the Extradition Convention at Castries, Saint Lucia on September 30, 2016.
The French Parliament passed the law authorising approval of the aforementioned agreements and the Council of Ministers consequently approved said agreements. The instruments of approval provided for by Article 25 of both conventions were signed by Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
During a ceremony of exchange of the French and Saint Lucian Instruments of Approval on October 10, 2018, at the Department of External Affairs, His Excellency Philippe Ardanaz, Ambassador of France to the OECS member states and Barbados, in Saint Lucia, handed over the two instruments of approval of these agreements on behalf of the government of the French Republic to Hon. Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, Minister in the Department of External Affairs, who on behalf of the Government of Saint Lucia, handed over diplomatic notes confirming the approval of the two agreements by the Saint Lucian government.
The agreements will enter into force on December 01, 2018. The signing of the agreements is a milestone for France and Saint Lucia, which have enjoyed diplomatic relations from 1980, and have already concluded a cooperation agreement and a visa waiver agreement. These new agreements will assist in combatting crime and extraditing criminals.
In the past, Saint Lucia has used the facility of warrants to deal with mutual legal assistance matters, but this is the first time that an extradition agreement is signed.
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