A US$9 Mn World Bank Grant Agreement to support the work of the Caribbean Community-led Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) was signed on Wednesday, 28 April 2004 during the Opening Ceremony of the Tenth Meeting of the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), being held at the Tobago Hilton, Trinidad and Tobago.
Signing on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was H.E. Mr. Edwin Carrington, Secretary-General of CARICOM, and on behalf of the World Bank Ms. Caroline Anstey, Director, Latin America and the Caribbean Region.
In expressing thanks to the World Bank for its support to the Region in the fight against this pandemic, Secretary-General Carrington stated that PANCAP was fortunate to have willing partners. The Secretary-General pointed out the benefits of regional collaboration and the potential of the Partnership in bringing together a cross-section of partners in a network to tackle the epidemic and urged that due recognition of PANCAP's role and functions be given through more public endorsement.
In her remarks Ms. Anstey, stated that PANCAP “is already an international best practice, influencing other regions to adopt similar arrangements…”
She commended the countries for fighting back, singling out a number of Heads of Government, including Prime Minister Denzil Douglas for showing extraordinary leadership in responding to this challenge and reiterated the World Bank's support for the Caribbean's efforts to address in an effective manner, the HIV/AIDS challenge.
The Grant allocated to the work of PANCAP will support regional and other institutions such as CARICOM, the University of the West Indies and the Caribbean Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (CRN+), to undertake research on region-wide policy issues, establish communication networks between people living with AIDS and provide assistance to Governments in policy formulation and programme implementation.
