(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Given the critical importance of diplomacy in strengthening the voice of small states in the global arena, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat is hosting a programme to assist the development of the diplomatic capabilities of CARICOM Member States.
From May 18-29, 2009, the CARICOM Secretariat, in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Institute of International Relations (IIR) of the University of the West Indies will jointly conduct a Regional Diplomatic Training Programme for Mid-Career Diplomats in CARICOM.
The objective of the Training Programme is to expose the Foreign Service Officers, 29 from across the Community, to information and techniques that will serve to enhance their skills in the conduct of diplomacy; protocol and consular functions; political reporting; and economic and political negotiation.
Among the topics which would be covered during the two-week Training Programme are: The Strategic Positioning of CARICOM in the Changing Global Environment; Formulation of Foreign Policy; The Global Financial Crisis and Its Implications for CARICOM; the Economic Partnership Agreement between the Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP)States (CARIFORUM) and the European Union (EU), with specific reference to, the Negotiating Process and the Implementation of the Agreement; and Negotiating Other Trade and Economic Agreements.
The Programme will feature renowned Caribbean and international diplomats including Sir Shridath Ramphal, OCC, Former Commonwealth Secretary-General; Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary-General, Organisation of American States (OAS); Dr. Rashleigh Jackson, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Guyana; Ambassador Byron Blake, Senior Adviser to the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA); Mr. Carl Greenidge, Deputy Senior Director, Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery; Sir Ronald Sanders, former Diplomat, Professor Norman Girvan of the Professorial Research Fellow Institute of International Relations (IIR), Trinidad and Tobago; and senior officials of the CARICOM Secretariat.
It is anticipated that the training programme will provide a forum for the exchange and exploration of ideas among CARICOM officials, academics and diplomats on issues pertaining to Regional development.
In March 2009, the CARICOM Secretariat coordinated a High-level Regional Consultation on Diplomatic Training, funded by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which brought together senior officials from CARICOM’s Foreign Ministries to identify the specific diplomatic capacity-building needs in the Caribbean Community.
