The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) today welcomed the third ambassador from India to be accredited to the Community at a ceremony where CARICOM Secretary General Mr. Edwin Carrington emphasised that India has proven to be a friend of the Region in several areas.
European and Caribbean leaders ended an historic meeting here today with the EU assuring the Caribbean that its interests would be constantly borne in mind in deliberations within the EU, and in EU representation in deliberations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This, in response to Caribbean concerns about recent developments and the outlook for their key exports of sugar and bananas in the EU and in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The meeting agreed to further strengthen EU-CARIFORUM cooperation in key common areas, HIV/AIDS, Drugs and Crime and Security.
The Heads of State and of Government of Caribbean ACP States (CARIFORUM) and the European Union represented by the Troika, met in Guadalajara Mexico on 29 May 2004, on the occasion of the III Summit of Heads of State and of Government of the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean. They reaffirmed their commitment to the principles and priorities established by previous summits held in Rio de Janeiro 1999, Madrid in 2002, and the recently concluded Summit held in Guadalajara.
The Thirty-first Annual General Meeting of the Regional Nursing Body (RNB) concluded yesterday, 27 May 2004, in Paramaribo, Suriname.
The Governments and Peoples of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are profoundly saddened at the tremendous loss of life in the Dominican Republic and Haiti - sister countries which share the island of Hispanola - as a result of flooding and mudslides following torrential rains which swept across the island over several days.
Particularly affected by the combined loss of life in excess of one thousand people, are towns and villages on the Dominican Republic/Haiti border including Jimani, Fond Verettes and Mapou.
The Region should expect a breath of new life and meaning, to the Region's premiere cultural festival, CARIFESTA, when a special meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development [COHSOD] on Culture is convened next week.
The two-day meeting scheduled for June 2-3 will take place in Georgetown, Guyana where a strategic plan for the reorganisation of CARIFESTA drafted at the first meeting of the CARICOM Task Force on CARIFESTA in Trinidad in March will lead the discussions on the way forward.
CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The 'CARICOM Exploratory Group on CARICOM-Canada Trade Negotiations' met in Barbados, May 28.
The consultation was convened with a view to taking stock of deliberations between CARICOM and Canada on the scope and elements of negotiations for a CARICOM-Canada enhanced trade arrangement. Officials sought to refine positions on areas that would be under negotiation, including Services, Market Access, Agriculture, and Investment.
Salutation
The Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme represents one of two areas of activity in the field of energy currently being undertaken by the CARICOM Secretariat. The other area is the formulation of a regional energy policy by a Task Force on Regional Energy Policy, which was established in 2003 in Port of Spain by the 14th Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.