Trade

MIAMI, UNITED STATES – Trade Ministers, from thirty-four countries, gathered at the Eighth Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Ministerial Meeting, in Miami, endorsed a key Ministerial Declaration, November 20. The Ministerial, set to last two days, concluded a day early. The summit followed a meeting of Vice-Ministers, November 15 to 18. The Ministerial Meeting produced a ‘compromise’ Ministerial Declaration for the Americas-wide trade pact. It will serve as a pragmatic framework for the process to move forward.

MIAMI, UNITED STATES – “Deliberations, thus far, have been amicable and
constructive”. Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) Director-General,
Ambassador Richard Bernal, made these remarks, November 17, two days into the
Sixteenth meeting of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Trade Negotiations
Committee (TNC), convened in Miami, United States.
The four-day TNC, that got underway November 15, is striving to broker ‘balance’ to
respond to the sensitivities of the negotiating countries concerned.

MIAMI, UNITED STATES – “Deliberations, thus far, have been amicable and constructive”. Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM) Director-General, Ambassador Richard Bernal, made these remarks, November 17, two days into the Sixteenth meeting of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Trade Negotiations Committee (TNC), convened in Miami, United States. The four-day TNC, that got underway November 15, is striving to broker ‘balance’ to respond to the sensitivities of the negotiating countries concerned.

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – A ‘CARICOM Regional Training Seminar’, entitled_ “International Negotiations, Free Trade Agreements and its Impact in Export Promotion_ The Chilean Experience”, came to a close today. Convened in Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 20 to 23, it was coordinated by the International Cooperation Agency of Chile (AGCI), in collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM). The objective of the Seminar was to immerse participants in the technical and policy aspects of commercial/trade policy and the negotiation of trade agreements.

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – In an historic collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), the International Cooperation Agency of Chile (AGCI) has coordinated and arranged the delivery of a ‘CARICOM Regional Training Seminar’ to be convened in Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 20 to 23. The Seminar is entitled_ “International Negotiations, Free Trade Agreements and its Impact in Export Promotion_ The Chilean Experience”.

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – In an historic collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), the International Cooperation Agency of Chile (AGCI) has coordinated and arranged the delivery of a ‘CARICOM Regional Training Seminar’ to be convened in Montego Bay, Jamaica, October 20 to 23. The Seminar is entitled_ “International Negotiations, Free Trade Agreements and its Impact in Export Promotion_ The Chilean Experience”.

The Fifth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference came to an end in Cancún, Mexico, September 14. However, the ‘endgame’ was not the result WTO members had hoped for.

The Cancún summit closed with no consensus on key items on its agenda. Members failed to bridge their differences. Divisions amongst members proved too deep.

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – The Fifth World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference came to an end in Cancún, Mexico, September 14. However, the ‘endgame’ was not the result WTO members had hoped for. The Cancún summit closed with no consensus on key items on its agenda. Members failed to bridge their differences. Divisions amongst members proved too deep. “There were fundamental differences over key issues”. The Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal, made these remarks, September 14, at the close of the Cancún summit.

Today the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization in Cancun, Mexico, at which all Caribbean Countries were present, ended without agreement on the many key issues. Billed as a Conference to advance the Doha Development Round of Trade Negotiations, the Conference collapsed on the key issues for developing countries such as agriculture, non-agricultural market access, small economies and special and differential treatment, as well as on the so-called Singapore issues – investment, government procurement, competition policy and trade facilitation measures.

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – “The Caribbean is well prepared heading into Cancún”. The Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal, made these remarks at the close of the Second Special Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on External Economic Negotiations, September 4. The Special COTED was convened in Georgetown, Guyana, September 3 to 4. It was chaired by Hon. Billie Miller, Senior Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Barbados.