(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana)     The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat welcomes the decision of Canada to seek a new waiver in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the CARIBCAN arrangements. The Secretariat looks forward to its early approval which will ensure that existing CARICOM trade with Canada will continue without disruption.

The Secretariat will be convening a Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) following Canada’s recent decision to suspend trade negotiations with the Community. The meeting will give Member States the opportunity to decide on the way forward and will be held before the end of May.