BarbadosCOTEDPress Releases

RNM DG: ‘COTED Strategy Session Timely’

CHRIST CHURCH, BARBADOS – Hon. Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize, opened the Sixteenth Meeting of COTED in Belize City, Belize, today.
Officials met from March 1 to 2, prior to the Ministerial level meeting of COTED which is scheduled to come to a close March 5. A special COTED Strategy Session was held March 3. It dealt exclusively with external trade negotiations/issues. Prime Minister Musa described the strategic session as “successful”. He added, “that session was important because for the first time CARICOM trade ministers, their officials and advisers met in a dedicated way to consider the major issues confronting us”.
External trade matters concerning the World Trade Organization (WTO), Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), and Africa Caribbean Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU) Economic Partnership Agreements, respectively, have been under discussion, amongst other items on this week’s COTED agenda. These deliberations included a review of trade agreements between third countries in the Latin/Central America region and the United States.
The Director-General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (RNM), Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal, who headed the RNM team to the COTED meetings, described deliberations amongst officials as “productive”. Commenting on the Strategy Session of the COTED, Ambassador Bernal remarked “this type of strategic reflection and planning is extremely timely, given recent developments in various external trade arenas and the region’s strategic positioning, in this regard”.
Ambassador Bernal emphasized that the Strategy Session had enabled the region to refine its negotiating strategy. He said the meeting had pointed to the need for further technical work on certain ‘new’ issues. Dr. Bernal also noted that South-South trade featured in discussions, and was a matter identified for further study.
The remarks by Hon. Said Musa to the Sixteenth Meeting of COTED are available on the RNM website (www.crnm.org). Also on the website are remarks made by Sen. The Hon. Julian R. Hunte, Minister of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation of Saint Lucia; and, H.E. Edwin W. Carrington, Secretary-General, Caribbean Community, at the opening of COTED.
For More Information Contact:
Nand C. Bardouille
Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery
3rd Floor, The Mutual Building, Hastings Main Road, Hastings, Christ Church, Barbados
Tel: (246) 430-1678
FAX: (246) 228-9528
email: nand.bardouille@crnm.org

Show More
Back to top button