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Joint Statement of the 4th General Meeting between CARICOM & the UN System

Published on 01/30/2007

Georgetown, Guyana -- 30 Jan., 2007 -- The Fourth General Meeting between the United Nations system and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and its associated institutions was convened at the CARICOM Secretariat in Guyana during 25-26 January 2007.

UN pledges continued support of CARICOM

The UN delegation was led by the Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Development in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The delegation of the Caribbean Community was led by Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite, Deputy Secretary-General. Both heads of delegation co-chaired the plenary sessions of the meeting, which enjoyed wide participation of representatives of CARICOM and its associated institutions, and of representatives of the UN system. Dr. Edwin Carrington, Secretary General of CARICOM participated in the closing session of the meeting.

2. The Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM made an opening statement. The representative of the UN Secretary-General read a message from Mr. Ban Ki - Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

3. Deputy Secretary-General Applewhaite provided the meeting with a comprehensive update on the Region?s success thus far towards the construction and implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy with a view to effectively and creatively fulfilling its ultimate mandate of improving the standard of living and quality of life of the peoples of the Caribbean Community through sustainable development. She highlighted the challenges faced in pursuit of this objective, within the context of a global economic environment adversely impacted by globalization and trade liberalization.

4. Detailing the status of implementation of the CSME, she emphasized that the construct and modus operandi of the CSME reflect the Community?s approach to integration as an interdisciplinary exercise, with such issues as poverty reduction, food security, agriculture, environment, information and communication technology, culture, gender, security and governance being treated systematically as crosscutting themes rather than development objectives in themselves; an integrated approach critical to the sustainable development of the small, vulnerable States of the Caribbean. She expressed appreciation to the UN for its continued support to the Community, particularly to Haiti and to Grenada following Hurricane Ivan.

5. The message of the UN Secretary-General reiterated the strong commitment of the UN system to support CARICOM in its efforts to pursue regional economic and social development and tackle pressing issues such as transnational crime and HIV/AIDS. The UN system?s ongoing effort to address the special development needs of the Region, particularly in the context of the Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, was underscored.

6. The CARICOM side also shared its thoughts on the development paradigm of the Region with regard to economic and social development and governance.

7. The Representative of the UN Secretary-General identified strengthening the institutional framework of support at both the regional and national levels to advance the development objectives of the Caribbean Community as the fundamental objective of CARICOM-UN cooperation. He urged the meeting to adopt a practical and realistic approach towards the development of those priorities identified by the Region which could be meaningfully undertaken with UN support.

8. The meeting received detailed CARICOM presentations outlining strategic objectives for the coming biennium, covering the following areas:

a. implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and development of the framework for the Single Economy;

b. institutional development and strengthening of the Community;

c. advancing human and social development;

d. enhancing the strategic position of CARICOM within the Hemispheric and global environment;

e. strengthening Governance and Security within the Community;

f. information and communication technology for development;

g. implementation of the Mauritius Strategy on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States; and

h. resource mobilization.

9. Bilateral and multilateral consultations among representatives of CARICOM and its associated institutions and UN system representatives were held, providing the opportunity for the development and exploration of ongoing and potential areas of cooperation within the framework of the programme priorities identified.

10. The meeting welcomed the major accomplishments of the Community in deepening the process of regional integration, including progress in the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, and CARICOM?s publication of the Caribbean Trade and Investment Report 2005. The meeting also acknowledged progress at the regional and national levels in addressing a range of social challenges including children and youth, population, reproductive health, ageing, migration, and efforts at gender mainstreaming. The need for support to enhance public education, particularly within the context of facilitating implementation of the CSME and for campaigns promoting control of non-communicable diseases was underscored. The UN system reiterated its commitment of continued support for CARICOM?s efforts in these areas.

11. The meeting acknowledged that much has been accomplished towards deepening the cooperation between CARICOM and the UN, and it welcomed the degree of substantive and technical support provided by the United Nations system to the Caribbean Community, including its member States and associated institutions.

12. The meeting took note of the Region?s agenda for creating decent work for all and in addressing all of the attendant challenges in the area of labour productivity and workers rights, and expressed appreciation for the contribution of the UN system in the provision of tangible support towards achieving this Agenda.

13. The meeting welcomed the reaffirmation of UN support for the strengthening of governance, and for the Region?s efforts to combat transnational crime, particularly in building the Region?s capacity to implement legal and political instruments related to the eradication of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons as well as to WMD non-proliferation. Given the ongoing threat to the security of the Region posed by narco-trafficking, the meeting took note of CARICOM?s concern at the recent closure of the UN Office of Drug and Crime in the Region.

14. The meeting also noted with concern the continuing negative impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the Region but recorded positive developments in the CARICOM - UN partnership in this area, resulting in an increased awareness and public education on the disease and action at the level of national and regional strategic planning, and in the exchange of information and provision of technical advice.

15. The UN system took particular note of CARICOM?s focus and new emphasis on non-communicable diseases and the regional summit scheduled for later in 2007.

16. Progress through joint efforts to address the full and effective implementation of the SIDS Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy for further implementation was acknowledged. The meeting stressed the need to move expeditiously to the practical implementation of the MSI at the regional, subregional and national levels. The importance of agricultural development and food security received close attention in CARICOM - UN collaboration. In this context, the meeting welcomed progress made in the Jagdeo Initiative , which has the support of several UN and CARICOM partners.

17. Support for the strengthening of the Community?s resilience through disaster management, preparedness and environmental sustainability was a high priority for follow-up action. Since effective implementation of a comprehensive disaster management strategy is demanding a multidisciplinary approach, the UN system reaffirmed its commitment of the widest participation in a collective approach to address this challenge, in collaboration with CARICOM and its associated institutions.

18. CARICOM and the UN agreed to jointly pursue the full and effective implementation of the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document on the Review of Progress in the implementation of the MDGs, since this document accurately reflects the thinking of the international community with respect to international cooperation for development on which the follow up for collaboration between CARICOM and the UN should be based.

19. The contribution of both CARICOM and the UN, through MINUSTAH, in bringing a greater degree of political and social stability to Haiti, and the re-admission of Haiti to the Councils of the Community was welcomed. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to supporting that country in its efforts to achieve sustainable economic development and enhanced social and political stability. The UN encouraged CARICOM to become a partner in the integrated mission in Haiti.

20. The UN received the requests of CARICOM for support in training and capacity building, ICT development, research, analysis and advisory services to support informed decision- making and policy formulation, as well as public education at national and regional levels. The meeting agreed that this should be an area for active, system-wide follow-up.

21. The meeting concluded that attention be given to the establishment of an appropriate regional programmatic framework for the pursuit of follow up and coordination of the priority areas for collaboration. It was also agreed that a mechanism for indicating specific areas of cooperation to monitor and measure progress in implementation should be designed and implemented.

22. The meeting recognized the importance of addressing the development challenges facing CARICOM Member States, both at the national and regional levels and of the commitments and agreements entered into by them at the international level. It also recognized that these obligations impose a heavy burden on limited national and regional resources. It was agreed that CARICOM and the UN would examine ways in which support could be coherently provided to CARICOM, its Member States and associated institutions in meeting these obligations, ensuring national and regional ownership of both process and outcome.

23. It was agreed that the United Nations would host the next meeting in 2008 to evaluate progress made in their cooperation, at a date and venue to be determined.

24. It was also agreed that the report of the meeting would be finalized shortly and circulated to all participants.