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Launch of Caribbean-EU Negotiations Imminent

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The Sixteenth Meeting of the Caricom Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) was held in Belize City, Belize, during the first week of March. Several key decisions were made regarding external trade matters, including on issues related to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), respectively. Concerning Africa Caribbean Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations, COTED affirmed that a regional EPA must make a meaningful contribution to development.

STATEMENT BY MR. EDWIN W. CARRINGTON, SECRETARY-GENERAL, CARIFORUM, ON THE SIGNING OF FINANCING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND CARIFORUM FOR AIR ACCESS IMPROVEMENT FOR DOMINICA, 9 JANUARY 2004, GEORGETOWN, GUYANA

It is with mixed feelings that I take part in this very important ceremony today. Mixed feelings because as you all know earlier this week there was the unfortunate passing of the Honourable Pierre Charles, the late Prime Minister of Dominica, on Tuesday, 6 January. Mixed feelings because today, I have the privilege and honour to sign, on behalf of CARIFORUM, a Financing Agreement, which provides for financial support valued at 11.95 Million Euro for Air Access Improvement for Dominica.

CARIBBEAN DESIGNS ROAD MAP TO CANCUN

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA – A meeting to prepare CARIFORUM member states for the Fifth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference, September 10 to 14, in Cancun, Mexico, came to a close today. The meeting, entitled: Caribbean Region Pre- Cancun Meeting, was held June 16 to 19; organized by the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Netherlands-based ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Co-operation (CTA).

RNM INTENSIFIES PREPARATIONS FOR EU NEGOTIATIONS

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – CARIFORUM Ministers, with responsibility for trade, met in Barbados on May 3. The Ministerial followed a Caribbean Trade Experts Meeting and Senior Officials Meeting held between April 28 to 30 and May 1, respectively. The results of these three meetings will refine and deepen thinking in CARIFORUM on what is an appropriate Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) for the Region and will contribute to preparations for Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Council of Ministers Meetings in Brussels scheduled for May 14 to 16.

‘Re-Organised’ RNM seen as Model for Developing Countries

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – Developing countries continue to express their interest in the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM). Many developing countries that lack representation in Geneva and that face financial difficulties associated with individual country representation in negotiating meetings see the benefits of the RNM ‘model’. The RNM ‘model’ has also attracted the attention of the European Union (EU). EU Trade Commissioner, Pascal Lamy, indicated this when he met privately with Ambassador the Honorable Dr. Richard Bernal, O.J.

Prime Minister Patterson Lauds RNM Work

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – Hon. P.J. Patterson, Prime Minister of Jamaica, lauded the RNM for “the tremendous work being done” in relation to the Region’s participation in WTO, FTAA and ACP/EU negotiations. He was reporting to the Fourteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, held from the 14th to 15th of February in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in his capacity as Chairman of the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on External Negotiations.

CARIBBEAN PREPARES FOR NEXT ROUND OF TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EU

Mr. Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of both CARICOM and the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States, will chair the Opening Session of the Caribbean Regional Seminar in preparation for Negotiations of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union, scheduled to take place at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel on 14-16 February 2002.

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