SECOND MEETING BETWEEN UNITED NATIONS, CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY CONCLUDES IN BAHAMAS, JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED

Press Release
ECO/17

SECOND MEETING BETWEEN UNITED NATIONS, CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY CONCLUDES IN BAHAMAS, JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED

NASSAU, 28 March (UN Information Service) – The Second General Meeting between the United Nations Secretariat and its specialized agencies and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and associate institutions concluded in Nassau, the Bahamas, on 28 March. The CARICOM delegation was led by Deputy Secretary-General Carla Barnett. The United Nations system delegation was led by Assistant Secretary- General for Economic and Social Affairs, Patrizio Civili.

In a joint statement issued at its conclusion, the meeting expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the implementation of areas agreed in the first meeting, which was held at United Nations Headquarters in May 1997, and noted in particular the progress made in the following areas of collaboration:

-- completion of the framework for the creation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy;

-- capacity-building in the preservation, protection and promotion of intellectual property rights;

-- social policy formulation, especially in the areas of youth development, the advancement of women, health services and the protection and promotion of the rights of the child;

-- implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States;

-- implementation of the Plan of Action for Drug Control Coordination and Cooperation;

-- support for strengthening democracy and governance in the region;

-- support for the region’s preparation for the five-year review of international conferences and summits.

The ongoing collaboration between the United Nations and its agencies and CARICOM was noted and new areas of cooperation were identified.

The meeting agreed that the future programme of work should be structured within the following framework: implement of CARICOM Single Market and Economy; positioning of CARICOM in the global economy, particularly support for

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international policy formation, capacity-building and training; assistance in developing policies on Internet and e-commerce; human and social development, including human resource development, poverty alleviation, food security, the Plan of Action for Drug Control Coordination and Cooperation, a regional strategic plan on HIV/AIDS; and the strengthening of governance and security in the region.

Also: follow-up to the Barbados Programme of Action for Small Island Developing States; follow-up to resolution 54/225 on promoting an integrated management approach to the Caribbean Sea area in the context of sustainable development; and development of cooperation programmes in the field of public information between CARICOM and the United Nations system.

The meeting agreed to pursue the following modalities for deepening collaboration: ongoing interaction between CARICOM and the regional offices of the United Nations system; an interim meeting in 2001 in one of the Caribbean offices of the United Nations system; instituting the general meeting of the two Secretariats on a biennial basis; and establishment of a Web site to assist in monitoring the implementation of the programme of cooperation.

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