PARAMARIBO, SURINAME – “The workshop has sensitized a broad range of manufacturing interests, giving us a deeper appreciation of the complex external trade negotiations agenda confronting Suriname and CARICOM.” This statement was made by a representative of the Surinamese private sector - Mr. Oscar Kambel, General Manager of Global Beverages NV - who participated in a sensitization workshop for Surinamese private sector stakeholders in Paramaribo, October 20. Mr.
Trade
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) trade officials and representatives of national standards bureaux will participate in a Training for Trainers Workshop aimed at assisting CARICOM Member States to reap maximum rewards in the global trade arena.
The CARICOM Secretariat is collaborating with the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) in staging the Workshop which will take place in Barbados 8-10 September 2004 The Workshop will focus on Standards and Technical Regulations, which can sometimes be used as artificial barriers to free trade.
CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – A Caribbean delegation of trade experts led by the Honourable Minister of Trade in the Republic of Guyana, Clement Rohee, has left the region for Geneva this week to participate in what is shaping up to look like one of the most crucial turning points to date in the WTO talks.
Subsequent to the release on July 16 of a WTO draft framework agreement setting out the terms for the Doha round, critical issues still remain unresolved as Members have failed to substantially narrow the differences in positions on a number of these issues.
Senior EU and Caribbean officials met in Brussels on Thursday 15 July to advance negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement which were launched in April. There was a broad understanding on the scope and priorities of the negotiations, which are aimed at promoting sustainable development in the Caribbean through increased trade, investment and regional integration. Agreement was reached on modalities for a task force set up to facilitate the inter-linkage between the negotiations and development assistance.
CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal, met with The Honourable Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, in Port of Spain today.
Ambassador Bernal and the Prime Minister had an exchange of views on the status of negotiations across the three major external trade negotiating theatres the region is involved in; namely, the World Trade Organization (WTO), Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and CARIFORUM-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
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.
CARICOM countries have expressed keen interest in provisions for Services in the arrangement. Mr.
CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – CARICOM welcomes elements of a joint letter on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Development Agenda (DDA), issued by European Commissioners for Trade and Agriculture, Pascal Lamy and Franz Fischler, respectively. This according to the Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal. Ambassador Bernal was speaking to members of the international press, in London, May 11, where he is attending the Fourth Meeting of the UK-Caribbean Forum.
ST. JOHN’S, ANTIGUA – A ‘Regional Workshop on Trade for Journalists/Media Practitioners’, held in Antigua, came to a close on April 6. The two day forum was jointly organized by the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored Caribbean Trade and Competitiveness (C-TRADECOM) Program. Hon. Harold Lovell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism and International Transportation, Antigua & Barbuda, opened the workshop at an opening ceremony, April 4.
(CARICOM Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) concluded its second free trade agreement with a country in the wider Caribbean with the signature of the CARICOM-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement today in Jamaica. Prime Minister P.J. Patterson on behalf of CARICOM and President Abel Pacheco of Costa Rica signed the Agreement in the presence of a gathering, which included members of the Costa Rican and Jamaican cabinets, private sector representatives of both countries, and the Secretary-General of CARICOM, Mr. Edwin Carrington.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) concluded its second free trade agreement with a country in the wider Caribbean with the signature of the CARICOM-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement today in Jamaica. Prime Minister P.J. Patterson on behalf of CARICOM and President Abel Pacheco of Costa Rica signed the Agreement in the presence of a gathering, which included members of the Costa Rican and Jamaican cabinets, private sector representatives of both countries, and the Secretary-General of CARICOM, Mr. Edwin Carrington.