Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, has described the Second Joint Commission Meeting of CARICOM and the Kingdom of Spain as “fruitful and successful.”
Speaking to the press shortly after signing the Final Act (Communique) of the meeting at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston, Jamaica, with Mr Pascual Navarro, Deputy Director of Co-operation with Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean of the Spanish Agency for International Co-operation (AECI), the Deputy Secretary-General said a comprehensive programme addressing the needs of the region had been agreed to by the Joint Commission Meeting. The meeting was attended by a number of Member States of CARICOM and regional organisations.
Ambassador Applewhaite said the two broad areas covered by the agreements were Caribbean Integration and Human and Social Development. The focus on the former was on making the region more competitive and included assistance for the Regional Development Fund, the Regional Development Agency and Caribnet, she said. The focus on the latter was intended to prepare the people of the region to participate in and benefit from the opportunities presented by the integration process and included projects on health, education, natural disaster management and agriculture among others.
Mr Navarro hailed the meeting as launching a new era of relations between the two sides in co-operation for development. He said Spain had accepted new responsibilities as an international donor and had agreed to disburse 0.5 percent of its Gross National Product in international aid. He said 25 years ago Spain was a recipient of foreign aid but was now the 10th largest international aid donor.
Spain’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Jesus Silva, stated that the agreements reached at the end of the two-day meeting were not the end but the continuation of the process mandated by the Third CARICOM-Spain Summit held in Madrid, Spain on 10-11 May 2006. He said Spain was happy to support the Caribbean integration process as its success could be cited as an example to other regions. The Ambassador pointed out that the assistance in the agricultural sector was important as the region abandoned its traditional crops and sought alternatives.
The Communique is below.
FINAL ACT OF THE SECOND JOINT COMMISSION MEETING OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) AND THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN
I. INTRODUCTION
The Second Meeting of the Joint Commission of the Kingdom of Spain and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was held in Kingston, Jamaica on 19-20 October 2006 within the framework of the “Scientific and Technical Cooperation Agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the Caribbean Community” signed in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on 4 July 1999.
The CARICOM and Spanish delegations were chaired by Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, Deputy Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and by Mr. Pascual Navarro, Deputy Director of Cooperation with Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, respectively.
The objective of the Meeting was to define a new programme of cooperation for the period 2006-2010, taking into account the results obtained under the 2002-2006 programme. Both programmes focus on support for the Caribbean integration process through the strengthening of relevant institutions.
The Spanish delegation took the opportunity to refer to the Third CARICOM/ Spain Summit held in Madrid on 10-11 May 2006; to reaffirm its commitment to the economic and social development of CARICOM Member States and the consolidation of an agenda for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Spanish Delegation also reiterated its intention to study cooperation mechanisms with the Caribbean Development Bank and its commitment to participate in the latter’s Special Development Fund to contribute in a positive way to poverty alleviation in the Region. Spain reported on the progress made to date in that regard.
The CARICOM delegation reported on the status of the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), and also referred to the intention to create a Regional Development Agency (RDA). Contributions from Spain towards the CDF as well as technical assistance for the establishment of the Regional Development Agency were being sought.
Consistent with the Final Declaration issued following the Third CARICOM Spain Summit held in Madrid in May 2006, both delegations reiterated the necessity of intensifying and institutionalizing the bi-regional dialogue between Latin America and the Caribbean. They indicated their intention to take the necessary action to give impetus to the dialogue, particularly through the General Secretariat of the Iberoamerican Community, headquartered in Madrid, and other regional cooperation institutions.
II. PRESENTATION ON CARICOM-SPAIN COOPERATION
1. The CARICOM Delegation updated the Spanish Delegation on developments within CARICOM and on the strides made towards the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and its subsequent phase of the Single Economy.
The CARICOM Delegation spoke of its international cooperation focus, which is two fold.
a) The first relates to the regional integration programme and the consolidation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, and includes the economic sectors such as Tourism, Fisheries, Agriculture, Microcredit, Micro and Small Business development, Export Promotion and capacity building to facilitate the operation of the CSME and structural economic adjustment.
b) The second covers human development which includes other areas of technical cooperation such as Education (including teaching and the promotion of Spanish language, Culture and Heritage); Natural Disaster Prevention and Management of Environmental Resources; and Health, (including communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as drug demand reduction).
2. The Spanish Delegation reported on the new general cooperation policies of the Government of Spain, which are grounded in the 7 July 1998 Spanish Law on International Cooperation and in the 2005-2008 Master Plan approved in November 2004, which, as a basic four-year planning tool, defines the general guidelines and basic direction of Spanish Cooperation on the whole, establishing objectives and priorities.
The following characteristics of the aforementioned Master Plan are worth highlighting:
a) The effort to meet the strategic objectives and criteria for intervention for Spanish cooperation, which are: promotion of consensus among stakeholders; policy coherence; coordination and harmonization with other donors and alignment with recipient country policies; enhanced aid allocation, increased Official Development Aid (ODA); improved quality of aid management; and education for development and social awareness.
b) The definition of the following horizontal priorities for Spanish Cooperation for this period: a) the fight against poverty; b) defence of human rights; c) gender equity; d) environmental sustainability; and e) respect for cultural diversity.
c) The selection, in the Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation, of the following sectoral priorities: a) Democratic Governance, public participation and institutional development, b) Coverage of social needs c) Promotion of the economic fabric, d) the Environment, e) Culture and development and f) Gender and development.
d) The intention to progressively consolidate the participation of Spanish Cooperation in the new development cooperation instruments such as those entailing sectoral focus, in addition to the traditional instruments being used in Spanish Cooperation (programmes, projects and technical assistance).
Finally, the Spanish delegation indicated that its Regional Cooperation programme in CARICOM countries would be spearheaded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation in collaboration with other institutions of Spain’s Central Administration, other Territorial Administrations of Spain, multilateral organisations and with both Caribbean and Spanish non-governmental development organisations.
The Spanish Delegation indicated its particular interest in encouraging the implementation of cooperation programmes and the application of other Spanish cooperation instruments in the Caribbean Region, with special emphasis on the credit mechanism of the Fund for Development Aid (FDA) currently being studied in Haiti and Jamaica, and the Fund for Feasibility Studies disbursements, managed by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade. The CARICOM Delegation expressed its interest in sending a fact-finding mission to examine first hand the possibilities for implementing in the Region the types of cooperation mechanisms used by Spain.
3. Both delegations noted the high level of convergence between the principles, objectives and strategic orientation of the development planning instruments employed by CARICOM Member States and Spain within the context of the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the Second Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2005 – 2008 respectively, both of which share a common point of reference – The Millennium Development Goals. Using the aforementioned programmatic documents as reference points, the Delegations agreed that cooperation between the two parties would be based on the following points:
a) The need to fulfil the common international agenda for development and as such, to consider the Millennium Development Goals as the main reference point in the CARICOM -Spain bilateral cooperation programme.
b) Spain’s support for the strengthening and modernization of CARICOM’s processes, with special emphasis on stimulating and executing the social policies aimed at distributing the benefits of development throughout the population. This would be done through the broad incorporation of the five horizontal priorities of the 2005-2008 Master Plan, namely a) the fight against poverty; b) the defence of human rights; c) gender equity; d) environmental sustainability; and e) respect for sustainable cultural diversity, in the different CARICOM-Spain cooperation programmes and projects.
c) Both parties emphasised the importance of respecting and fulfilling the commitments on Donor Harmonization undertaken under the Rome Declaration (25 February 2003) as well as those contained in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness emanating from the Second High Level Forum held in Paris on 28 February 2005.
d) The search for an effective alignment of the cooperation programmes and projects with CARICOM’s sectoral policies, for which the CARICOM Secretariat will schedule and encourage the coordination and complementarity of CARICOM’s sectoral policies with Spanish cooperation activities.
e) Spanish Cooperation will give preference, as far as possible, to focussing its activities based on a Regional Cooperation Programme with CARICOM, in order to avoid the dispersion of isolated projects in diverse areas. To this end, Spanish Cooperation will promote the use of the new cooperation instruments set out in the 2005- 2008 Master Plan, such as the Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) with a view to integrating its activities into the Region’s policies.
f) Strong emphasis on the coordination of and complementarity among the different stakeholders and instruments of Spanish ODA, as well as among other international cooperation donors, most notably the Delegations of the European Commission. This, with a view to achieving optimal results and focus of development aid in CARICOM countries, avoiding dispersion, duplication of efforts with other cooperation agencies and promoting effective synergies through the adequate complementarity of activities. With respect to the latter, the CARICOM Delegation advised of its intention to convene meetings with different donors, in sectors including agriculture, with a view to giving its sectoral policies a programmatic character. CARICOM invited the Government of Spain to participate in these meetings.
4. Both Delegations agreed on a highly positive holistic assessment of Spain/CARICOM cooperation carried out during the life of the First Joint Commission, on their satisfaction with the activities executed and the high impact of the programmes and projects conducted. Annex II outlines the total Official Development Aid granted to CARICOM over the period 2002-2006.
Both Delegations underscored the level of maturity and efficiency attained under the cooperation between CARICOM and Spain upon completion of the First Joint Commission. In this regard, they agreed that the objective for the current period of the programme approved by the Second Joint Commission will be the deepening of the quality and efficiency of the programmes and projects to be implemented in the future. The following key principles were established as criteria to be taken into account:
a) The possibility of establishing a CARICOM – Spain Joint Fund for financing jointly approved projects, to which both Delegations would contribute, will be studied. This would constitute a flexible instrument that would facilitate more efficient use of the allocated funds. The establishment of this proposed Joint Fund will be subject to an agreement between the two parties.
b) Spain agreed to consider making a contribution that would be sufficient to operationalise the new Regional Cooperation Programme with CARICOM, as an indication of its growing commitment to the social and economic development of CARICOM countries.
c) Both Delegations will promote joint participation in tri-lateral cooperation, especially in priority areas of interest to both CARICOM and Spain. Both parties would also encourage collaboration in supporting the process of stabilisation and development in Haiti, a Member State of CARICOM and the least developed country in the Region.
d) Concentration on a reduced number of areas of priority that has the greatest potential for the development of the CARICOM Region will be used as criteria for cooperation.
e) As a general criterion, the joint cooperation programmes will be executed in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat and other regional institutions, with the aim of achieving regional sectoral coverage, and contributing to the process of regional integration. Similarly, when deemed opportune, this will be carried out incorporating national institutions directly involved in the projects, without prejudice to the regional character that should govern the programmes and projects financed. These programmes must benefit the majority of persons and countries in the Region, with the continuous involvement of the CARICOM Secretariat.
III. PRIORITY AREAS OF COOPERATION
The Spanish Delegation requested that the Sectors established in the Master Plan form the basis for the identification of areas of cooperation in this Final Act. The CARICOM Delegation had no difficulty with this request.
The areas of activity proposed by the CARICOM Delegation can be placed in the different Sectors of cooperation and are outlined below:
1. SECTOR 1: Democratic Governance, Public Participation and Institutional Development
a) Regional Integration (CSME):
1. The CARICOM Delegation made a presentation on progress made in the regional integration process under the new parameters of the CSME Programme, formally launched in Kingston in January 2006, under which a single market, characterised by the free movement of persons, goods and capital among CARICOM Member States, as well as unified trade policies and harmonised legal frameworks, is expected to be achieved. The CARICOM Delegation provided information on the work towards the creation of the Single Economy, the framework of which would be completed by 2008 and mentioned the CARICOM Development Fund which is an instrument essential to structural economic transformation.
Spain’s technological support in lending dynamism to information exchange through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) was requested. Specifically, Spain was invited to look into the possibility of collaborating to implement the “Caribnet” programme, through which it was hoped that a fibre optic network between CARICOM countries that would be established to facilitate coordination and support for education, university, scientific and health sectors etc. would be established. The Spanish Delegation received this invitation with interest and undertook to look into the possibility of participating.
2. The Spanish delegation positively evaluated this new stage and offered its technical support to the CARICOM Secretariat in the required areas. Specifically, the Spanish delegation committed to support the regional integration and harmonization processes through technical assistance and other instruments. Spain reiterated its interest in supporting the CARICOM Development Fund, which will assist disadvantaged countries, regions and sectors, as well as providing assistance for the establishment of the Regional Development Agency.
b) Security
1. The CARICOM Delegation reported on the establishment of a Council of Ministers responsible for National Security and the parallel creation of an Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago. In this regard three possible areas of cooperation were presented:
a) Training of human resources through university research including via ICTs for the development of the UWI Virtual Campus.
b) The implementation of the Common Immigration, visa and border security policy. This activity is currently being pursued for the Cricket World Cup (CWC), with the participation of the nine host countries and Dominica. CARICOM hopes to extend the system to its other Member States, taking into account lessons learned from the aforementioned pilot project.
c) Shared intelligence with friendly countries within the context of the CWC and thereafter.
The Spanish Delegation expressed appreciation for the information provided and undertook to exchange experiences through training courses and security consultancies within the framework of the courses which, in collaboration with the Home Affairs Ministry, would be integrated into the Iberoamerican Programme for Specialised Technical Training. Likewise, Spain recalled the commitments made under the Final Declaration of the 3rd CARICOM Spain Summit held in Madrid, Spain on 10 and 11 May 2006, particularly its preference for the signing of thematic cooperation agreements between the security forces for the exchange of experiences in such areas as security in tourist zones, subject to the availability of competent Spanish institutions.
c) Institutional Strengthening of Cooperation with Haiti:
1. The CARICOM Delegation reported on the progress made on the full return of the government of Haiti to CARICOM institutions and regional integration bodies, and in particular on the future re-opening of a CARICOM office in Haiti, through which the regional support efforts to that country’s stabilization and social, economic and political development would be channelled. In this regard the CARICOM Delegation requested Spain’s support for the operationlisation of the Office in question.
The Spanish Delegation received this information with much interest, advising of its own efforts to cooperate with Haiti in the latter’s incipient process of political normalization. Spain agreed to study CARICOM’s request for collaboration with the CARICOM Representation Office in Haiti, as a contribution to institutional strengthening of the integration of Haiti into the Region. Spain values the possibility of the Spanish Administration lending specific technical assistance so that CARICOM could support regional integration through the Office in question. This collaboration would also serve to promote the aforementioned cooperation between CARICOM and Spain in support of the process of stabilization and development in Haiti
d) Iberoamerican Programme for Specialised Technical Training:
1. The Spanish Delegation reported on the scope and content of the Iberoamerican Specialised Technical Training Programme with Iberoamerican countries. Under this programme, government institutions of participating countries can be strengthened through training of civil servants and managers in Spain and in Spanish cooperation training centres in Iberoamerica. Spain offered to extend participation in some of the courses of the programme to CARICOM civil servants. Belizean and Haitian civil servants occasionally benefit from such courses.
The CARICOM Delegation expressed its gratitude for this offer and its interest in promptly participating in the courses most closely related to the cooperation programme between CARICOM and Spain.
2. SECTOR 2: Coverage of Social Needs
a) Food Security:
The agriculture/livestock sector of CARICOM countries has been on the decline since the end of the 1980’s, a trend aggravated in recent years by falling sugar cane production; difficulties in the banana trade, and natural disasters; and as regards livestock, lack of pasture and failure to introduce better species. As a result, the CARICOM Delegation requested:
a) Implementation of the Project – Improvement of Small Ruminant Production through the effective use of Banana Waste. This Project was prepared jointly by the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) with the technical support of the Council for Livestock, Fisheries and Food of the Government of the Canary Islands – Canary Island Institute of Agriculture Research.
b) Exchange of agricultural knowledge and technology for the diversification of crops in support of the CARICOM/ CARIFORUM Food Security Programme.
The CARICOM Delegation also indicated its interest in convening a donor conference at the beginning of 2007 in collaboration with the FAO, to which Spain will be invited.
The Spanish Delegation took note of the requests and expressed its willingness to provide technical assistance.
b) Education:
Both Delegations agreed that Spanish Cooperation interventions in this sector will provide preferential support to the teaching of the Spanish language, as a contribution to the improvement of the training of teachers and education personnel and the strengthening of higher education through such mechanisms as seminars, advanced training courses, and scholarship programmes.
The Spanish Delegation reported that a regional programme of action and support for the teaching of Spanish in CARICOM countries was under consideration, in the previously mentioned sectors, with the support of the competent Spanish institutions.
In this regard, both Delegations agreed to study the activities that would facilitate the achievement of the objectives and develop regional institutional support during the life of this Joint Commission.
c) Health:
The CARICOM Delegation reported on the health situation in the countries of CARICOM, indicating its interest in focussing cooperation both in the reduction of communicable and non-communicable diseases and highlighting that most of the cooperation of the other donors focussed on communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS. As a consequence, it requested that Spanish Cooperation place emphasis on non-communicable and lifestyle related diseases such as diabetes, cervical cancer and hypertension. It was proposed that emphasis also be placed on the critical area of drug demand reduction.
The Spanish Delegation expressed its interest in contributing to the fight against non- communicable diseases through prevention, education, information, communication and training of health personnel.
d) Water and Sanitation:
The CARICOM Delegation expressed appreciation for the projects related to water and sanitation financed by Spain in different CARICOM Member States, which will continue to be solidified during the life of the cooperation programme started by this Second Joint Commission.
3. SECTOR 3: Promotion of the Economic and Business Sector
a) Tourism:
Both Delegations congratulated each other on the progress made in this area in keeping with the Plan of Action contemplated in the First Joint Commission and developed during the period 2002-2006.
The CARICOM Delegation indicated the importance of the tourism sector to the economies of Member Countries, which it hoped to see stimulated with the hosting of the Cricket World Cup in 2007.
1. Both Delegations agreed to place emphasis on the Training of Human Resources in the tourism sector, initially strengthening the regional and national institutions linked to the sector, through continued support to tourism satellite accounting development and a technical assistance programme facilitated by high-level Spanish entities. This programme will provide training and advice on methodologies for the elaboration and execution of training plans, with the medium term objective of creating regional training centres for tourism-related matters within existing institutions.
CARICOM specifically welcomed the efforts to establish a Regional Tourism School in Jamaica, which will promote the training of workers in the regional tourism sector in a manner that stimulates the productivity of the respective national industries; the expansion of the number and range of opportunities; and the fight against unemployment, poverty, and crime. Both Delegations welcomed the possibility of incorporating support to the private sector for this project.
2. The CARICOM Delegation requested specific technical assistance that would support an integrated focus of the different cooperation sectors, to stimulate complementary projects in other areas that contribute to the development of some quality national tourism industries. The Spanish Delegation expressed its interest in these proposals and committed to examining technical assistance initiatives specific to this sector.
b) Fisheries:
The CARICOM Delegation reported on progress regarding the Regional Fisheries Programme and of its recent visit to Maritime Fisheries Headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. In addition to continued support in the development of the CARICOM Common Fisheries Policy and Regime, technical assistance for the promotion of Fisherfolk organisations in collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), was requested.
The Spanish Delegation expressed its support for the strengthening of the Fisherfolk organisations, the improvement of marketing and export mechanisms and its commitment to stimulate, at the regional level, production and standards development relative to fisheries activities of the Region.
c) Promotion of microenterprises and international insertion:
The CARICOM Delegation indicated that this process of transformation should be coupled with a process of training for the modernisation of enterprise management and for a credit policy. It requested technical support for the Development of the SMEs and the establishment of a Microcredit Programme. In this regard, the CARICOM Delegation reported on the progress made in the Region in the establishment of microcredit programmes stimulated by public and private institutions, which have favoured the participation of labour and the improvement of the labour situation, as well as the reduction of the migration of the populations of the countries of CARICOM.
The Spanish Delegation will consider the identification of possible programmes financed by Spain in the Region, as well as the possibility of financing technical assistance to improve the efficiency and quality of national public and private sector programmes in existence in CARICOM countries.
4. SECTOR 4: The Environment
1. The CARICOM Delegation called for the focussing of Spanish Cooperation in two action areas:
a) The holistic management of natural resources based on sustainable development for the prevention and mitigation of risk, including the exploration and use of alternative renewable energies; and
b) The reduction of the vulnerability of persons living in poverty with regard to their environment, through the strengthening of the capacities of Governments and organisations specialised in addressing the causes of disasters, and participative initiatives linked to risk reduction and preparation for disasters.
The Spanish Delegation proposed to support the Region in its efforts in establishing sustainable systems for the management of natural resources in the public and private sectors, in disaster prevention, mitigation and recovery.
2. Likewise, it will consider possible specific technical assistance to national environmental protection and planning agencies to improve their technical and human resource capacities in the management of environmental policies, particularly in the area of sustainable tourism development.
5. SECTOR 5: Culture and Development
Both Delegations will study the implementation of cultural cooperation programmes and projects in the following areas:
a) Heritage for Development:
1. The CARICOM Delegation expressed appreciation for the fact-finding mission mounted by Spain in 2006 to the Region and the proposals that are under consideration for support to the ongoing restoration efforts of the historical areas of Spanish Town and the historical centre of Kingston, in Jamaica, as well as other pilot projects in other CARICOM countries.
The CARICOM Delegation was particularly interested in learning the Spanish experience of apprenticeships in the area of Heritage recovery, as an instrument of social integration and technical training for marginalised communities.
In addition, the CARICOM Delegation sought support for the strengthening of organisations and institutions responsible for urban planning and the development of neglected historical centres in a state of disrepair.
The Spanish Delegation reported on the implementation of the Heritage for Development Programme, in the context of the AECI, based on the vast experience accumulated over the last 25 years in Latin America and other priority geographic areas for Spanish cooperation. It also expressed its interest in being able to stimulate for the first time in CARICOM countries a pilot Heritage programme focussed initially on technical assistance in the sectors indicated.
b) Cultural exchanges:
1. The Spanish Delegation was informed that CARICOM regularly celebrates its Cultural Festival– “Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA)”, in which the cultural variety of the Region is showcased. The CARICOM Delegation requested the support of the Spanish Delegation for CARIFESTA, through technical assistance and the incorporation of Spanish artistes and artists in the festival as a means of promoting the cultural recognition of both Delegations. The Spanish Delegation welcomed this initiative with interest and committed to giving maximum publicity to the Festival.
2. Both Delegations agreed to promote cultural, musical, and artistic exchanges and welcomed the initiatives that had emerged in recent years. In addition, they encouraged new activities in different areas, such as the organisation of concerts or exhibitions.
c) Cultural Tourism:
1. The Spanish Delegation highlighted its interest in carrying out a series of training activities which, within the ‘Acerca’ Programme of the AECI, will impact on the potential for the development of cultural tourism and related cultural industries in the Region. This programme should include training in areas ranging from anthropology to business. The material on which the training would be based must be agreed with the academic sector in the Region.
SECTOR 6: Gender and Development
The application of a gender focus in the development activities is one of the key objectives of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), and of the IV World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, which the Spanish Cooperation Strategy for the Promotion of Equity between Women and Men adopts. In addition, it indicates the necessity for stimulating specific activities aimed at improving the condition and position of women and the promotion of empowerment. The Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation takes this a step further and proposes that the horizontal focus for the promotion of equity requires special treatment for its effective implementation.
These objectives are shared by the CARICOM Delegation, which requested Spain’s assistance in strengthening the Gender Affairs Unit within the Secretariat, which will act as a coordinator of the national institutions of CARICOM countries in this area.
The Spanish Delegation agreed to support the unit in efforts aimed at combating gender based violence and the strengthening of national organisations that promote and defend the rights of women, in particular .
IV. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Both Delegations agreed that technical assistance will be provided with the support of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for the definition and formulation of projects in the sectors considered as priority in this Final Act.
The financing of the activities contemplated in this Final Act, on the part of AECI, will be done through subventions to the CARICOM Secretariat, and in cases determined by common agreement, to CARICOM institutions, or to national institutions when considered appropriate, as contemplated under section II.
The present Joint Commission will cover the period 2006-2010. The execution of cooperation activities contemplated in this Final Act will be supervised and coordinated by AECI on behalf of Spain through its General Directorate for Cooperation with Iberoamerica, and on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) by its Secretariat.
All projects contemplated in this Final Act will be executed, fundamentally, through a scheme of co-financing in the proportions and modalities to be established for each one.
A mid-term review meeting will take place to follow-up on activities approved under this Final Act. A joint evaluation of the results obtained will take place at the end of the period.
At the end of this Second Meeting of the Joint Commission between Spain and the Caribbean Community – CARICOM, both Delegations congratulated each other on the agreements reached, in the confidence that they will contribute to the achievement of the development objectives of the Caribbean Community and stimulate and strengthen the linkages between the Governments and peoples of the CARICOM and Spain.
Finally, the Heads of both Delegations toasted the continuity and deepening of the relations of friendship and cooperation between the Caribbean Community and Spain.
This Statement is signed in two originals, English and Spanish, in the city of Kingston, Jamaica, on 19 October 2006, both texts being equally authentic.
| For the Spanish Delegation | For the CARICOM Delegation |
| Signed by Pascual Navarro | Signed by Lolita Applewhaite |
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