(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has expressed appreciation to the Republic of Korea for its assistance to the CARICOM Observer Missions to Haiti for the series of elections in 2006.
This expression was conveyed by the Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM, Her Excellency Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite during the First Meeting of the CARICOM-Republic of Korea Consultation and Cooperation Mechanism at the Headquarters of CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana on 18 January 2007.
The Deputy Secretary-General also thanked the Koreans for their support of projects aimed at the Strengthening of Civil Society in Suriname, and Improving the Structure of Governance in CARICOM.
An Agreement between CARICOM and the Republic of Korea for the establishment of a Consultation and Cooperation Mechanism was signed in May 2006. This Agreement provides the framework for future CARICOM-Korea relations with the focus on deepening the level of mutual understanding; strengthening consultations concerning bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest; promoting the expansion and diversification of trade and investment flows, investment and tourism as well as fostering the use of information and communication technology for development in the Community.
CARICOM requested Korea’s support for the development of e-government in the Region.
The Korean delegation, led by His Excellency Han Byung-Kil, Director General of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicated that it was the intention of the Korean Government to revitalise its relations with the Caribbean Region.
He pointed to the re-opening of the Korean Mission in Jamaica and the intention to do the same in Trinidad and Tobago in the near future as further illustrations of Korea’s efforts to strengthen these relations.
In this regard CARICOM noted with interest that Korea, which had been a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) since 2005, was now seeking membership in the Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
The CARICOM delegation drew attention to the limited Korean investment in the Region. To this end, the head of the Korean delegation undertook to meet with Korean businessmen on his return to Korea in an effort to encourage more investment in the Caribbean Region. Two areas of immediate focus will be tourism and information technology.
CARICOM also extended through the Republic of Korea its congratulations to the new Secretary-General of the United Nations and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Korea, His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon.
