St. Kitts and Nevis addressed implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU and CARIFORUM-United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) during a CARIFORUM Directorate technical mission held from 24 to 26 March. The Director General of CARIFORUM, Ms Alexis Downes-Amsterdam, spearheaded the mission in collaboration with the Ministry of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
The CARIFORUM team, comprising technical experts assigned to the respective Agreements, engaged with the Right Honourable Dr Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Investment, St Kitts and Nevis and representatives from key government agencies such as the Customs and Excise Department.
Discussions focused on the administrative and legal measures St. Kitts and Nevis must take to comply with key commitments under the EPAs, the challenges faced in this process, and strategies to address them.
The CARIFORUM Directorate provides targeted support to CARIFORUM States to ensure the effective functioning of the CARIFORUM-EU and CARIFORUM-UK EPAs. This support includes technical assistance to advance implementation, capacity building to convert market access into market presence, and strengthening institutional frameworks to help CARIFORUM States maximise opportunities under the Agreements.
Signed in 2008, the CARIFORUM-EU EPA is a cornerstone for boosting trade and investment between the two regions. The CARIFORUM-UK EPA, signed in 2019, aims to maintain the trading relationship between CARIFORUM States and the United Kingdom post-BREXIT, thereby continuing the benefits established under the CARIFORUM-EU EPA.
