On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Dominica on the 36th anniversary of your independence on November 3.

As the first country in the Americas to elect a female prime minister, you remain a symbol of gender equality for the region and the world.

The United States shares a cooperative relationship with Dominica through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative and the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative, which grants duty-free entry into the United States for many goods. Our mutual interests in promoting trade and educational opportunities through USAID and the Peace Corps will continue to unite us in the future.

I wish you the best during your Independence Day celebrations.