Economic Partnership Agreement - EPAPress Releases

Remarks by Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, Secretary – General ( ag ) Caribbean Forum of A frican , Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States (CARIFORUM ) At the Eighteenth Meeting of the Council of Ministers Of The Caribbean Forum of African , Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Stated ( CARIFORUM ) Belize

It is with pleasure that I welcome you to this Eighteenth Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Caribbean Forum of the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States (CARIFORUM).

You have come together in fulfillment of the mandate of the 17th Meeting of the Council of Ministers last November which set the agenda for this meeting. The fact that so many of the Member States are represented at the Ministerial level underscores the importance of the critical nature of the item to be discussed and that is also attached to deepening the relationship among CARIFORUM States.
What you are gathered here today to discuss is how does CARIFORUM evolve, what structures would ensure its efficacy and what arrangements would lend themselves to engaging with the European Union in the best possible way in the context of implementation of the CARIFORUM

EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The vital importance of getting governance systems right has been recognised as a key factor towards the success of multi-lateral organizations such as CARIFORUM. Over the past two years the discussion on the governance of CARIFORUM has been intensified, given impetus by the signing and need for implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU). The benefits to be derived from the EPA, su
ch as they are, will surely be maximised through CARIFORUM speaking with one voice and through co-ordinated and co-operative efforts by all whenever that is possible.

Tags
Show More
Back to top button