(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Critical issues relating to youth and culture development in the Caribbean will be the focal point of the Sixteenth Meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) set to take place in Georgetown, Guyana on 10-12 October 2007.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson told Caribbean leaders that the region and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), with the European Union (EU), had the potential to be models for putting trade at the service of development and showing the world that the Caribbean states are 21st century development and economic leaders.
We are meeting here because the negotiation of the EPA is at a crucial point. We still have to reach an agreement on some key points, not least the market access arrangements that need to be WTO compatible. Peter has spoken on these issues.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Mr Louis Michel stressed last evening that it was up to the Caribbean region to arrive at a consensus on the priorities and particularly on the use of the regional funds available from the European Union.
It is my pleasure to formally welcome you, my colleague Prime Ministers and Heads of Delegation to this Special Meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM). We are here to address critical issues related to the CARIFORUM/EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The fact that we are meeting at this level as the negotiations near their conclusion is an indication of the importance which CARIFORUM places on the EPA negotiations.
It is my pleasure to formally welcome you, my colleague Prime Ministers and Heads of Delegation to this Special Meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM). We are here to address critical issues related to the CARIFORUM/EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The fact that we are meeting at this level as the negotiations near their conclusion is an indication of the importance which CARIFORUM places on the EPA negotiations.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Jamaican Prime Minister, the Honourable Bruce Golding, advised his Caribbean colleagues that they had to address real problems which would directly impact the lives of every man, woman and child as they considered the issues related to the negotiation of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union.
Hon. Robert Persaud, Minister of Agriculture
Representatives of Member States
Representatives of Associate Members
Mr Hugh Saul and other colleagues of the CRFM
Representatives of Institutions
Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media
It gives me great pleasure to address this Second Special Meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum on the Common Fisheries Policy and Regime for the Caribbean Community.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The importance of the regional fisheries resources to the people of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) demands that steps be taken towards establishing a common fisheries regime to ensure the sustainable use of the available resources. This was underscored by Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General today.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) A Special Meeting of Heads of State and Government of Caribbean countries that are signatories to the ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement will take place in Montego Bay, Jamaica on 4-5 October 2007.
The meeting will be taking place at a critical juncture of the negotiations between CARIFORUM and the European Union for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that will result in liberalized access for goods and services from the EU into the markets of CARIFORUM countries.