PRESIDENT David Granger along with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge will be participating in the 5th Summit of Heads of State and Governments of Latin America and the Caribbean states, CELAC from January 21 to 25 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is an inter-governmental mechanism for political dialogue and integration. The body which was established in December 2011 and brings together 33 countries from Latin America and the Caribbean also aims at deepening political, cultural, and social integration among member countries.

Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman on Thursday told reporters at a Post-Cabinet press briefing that Guyana by virtue of its chairmanship of CARICOM will sit on the CELAC Quartet as CARICOM’s representative.

“The Quartet is the highest coordinating forum of CELAC and comprises the outgoing chairman, current chairman, incoming chairman, and chairman of CARICOM,” Trotman said, while informing reporters that the participating Heads of States will adopt several documents at the summit. Those documents include a political declaration, CELAC Action Plan for 2017, eighteen special pre-negotiated declarations and a gender strategy. Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey Waddle will also be part of the delegation traveling to the Dominican Republic.