(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat with the assistance of the European Commission (EC), is seeking to build the capacity of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, to comply with the implementation of Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). This is expected to boost those countries’ management of their environment and natural resources.

The multi-million dollar four-year project, titled Capacity Building Related to Multi-lateral Environmental Agreement (MEAs) in African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries, the Caribbean Hub Sub-Component has been designed to empower ACP countries with critical knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to better implement MEAs in all critical areas of development.

Under the general oversight of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Caribbean Hub, coordinated by the CARICOM Secretariat will deliver quality capacity building services to Caribbean ACP countries such as project writing skills, negotiation and lobbying skills, legal drafting and information management and exchange.

The project is to be launched at the first three-day Needs Prioritisation Workshop commencing in Georgetown, Guyana on 8 September at the Guyana International Convention Centre. The workshop will seek to establish priority needs in each Caribbean country with respect to the implementation of MEAs as a means of defining specific needs for capacity building at the regional level.

More than forty participants drawn from the ministries and related agencies responsible for environment and sustainable development are expected to attend this workshop. Representatives from several CARICOM regional institutions and international partners will also be in attendance.

The anticipated impact of the Capacity Building project is the reduction of the adverse effects of: climate change; loss of biodiversity; drought; land degradation; chemicals and waste; and obsolete pesticides as well as other threats to impoverished people resulting from environmental degradation. The Programme will run from 1 March 2009 to 28 February 2013.