Conference on the Caribbean in Washington, DC

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Volume No. 2 Issue No. 5 - Monday June 18, 2007
Conference on the Caribbean in Washington, DC
TheDominican.net Newsdesk

Heads of State of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) are in Washington to hold discussions with the Bush Administration and participate in a major conference. The leaders are expected to meet face to face with the United States President on Wednesday.

The conference comes at a time when several CARICOM leaders have complained about the neglect of the Caribbean region by the Bush Administration. There is also increasing concern in Washington over the cozy relationship between several regional countries and Venezuela�s Hugo Chavez.

The �Conference on the Caribbean � A 20/20 Vision� is the result of a series of meetings between officials from both the US and CARICOM. Its main purpose is to strengthen the existing relationship between the United States and the Caribbean Community, to develop a vision of the future relationship between the two, and to focus on the way forward to achieve the various developmental objectives for the Caribbean.

The Conference is also taking place against the backdrop of the recent coming into being of CARICOM Single Market in 2006 and the positive efforts towards the creation of the framework for the Single Economy by 2008. CARICOM has taken the strategic decision that the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) would be an important vehicle towards Member States achieving their long term development goals of improving the quality of life of the people of the Caribbean Community.

This conference is structured in such a way that there is Government to Government, People to People and the interaction between the Governments and the People. This will be the first time where the policy makers, the International Financial Agency, academic community, private sectors, and people of the Caribbean and the United States will interface in one Conference to examine the growth and development of the Caribbean Community from a regional perspective.

From June 19 � 21 three separate forums will be held aimed at harnessing and mobilizing the skills and resources of the vast Caribbean Diaspora in helping meet the challenges faced by the Region. There will be an expert forum in collaboration with the World Bank; a Diaspora forum in collaboration with the Organization of American States (OAS) and a private sector forum in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB).

During the conference, the Caribbean Community hopes to strengthen its relationship with the United States at all political levels and to further improve its relations with the Caribbean Diaspora in the US to encourage the Diaspora and friends of the Caribbean to support regional development.



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