The Region’s Foreign Ministers gather in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this morning for the Nineteenth Meeting of CARICOM’s Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR).

The two-day meeting will, among other things, examine the implications for the Caribbean Community of several emerging issues including the reshaping of the United States relations with Cuba and the pending British referendum on European Union membership.

As the Community seeks to reinforce relations with multilateral organisations, COFCOR will also discuss matters regarding the United Nations, the Organisation of American States, The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

Within the packed agenda, COFCOR will also seek to forge and strengthen ties with Third States including Brazil, Sweden, Japan, and The Netherlands on issues of mutual interests.

Following on the heels of last week’s Ninth UK-Caribbean Forum in The Bahamas, CARICOM Foreign Ministers will devote part of their meeting to discussing the critical elements emanating from that engagement. The Meeting will also discuss border issues, and a range of bilateral topics involving Mexico, Cuba and the Nordic States, and the Unites States.