THE theme “Vibrant Societies, Resilient Economies” is expected to guide Caribbean Community (Caricom) heads of Government as they tackle a packed agenda at their Thirty-Sixth Summit that will be held from Thursday to Saturday in Bridgetown, Barbados.A release from the Caricom Secretariat Monday said discussions will focus on issues including energy in the context of a proposal for a new institution to lead the Region’s energy agenda; the Caricom Single Market and Economy; technological advancement in Caricom; mechanisms for identifying Caricom candidates for international positions; Caricom relations with The Dominican Republic; and border issues between Guyana and Venezuela, and Belize and Guatemala.
A high-level strategic dialogue between the Caricom heads of Government and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is expected to precede the conference on Thursday morning, also guided by the theme, “Caricom: Vibrant Societies, Resilient Economies, A Partnership for Implementation”.
“It will provide an opportunity for Caricom heads of Government to engage the UN Secretary-General on the community’s sustainable development agenda as attention now pivots around three imminent international conferences: The Third International Conference on Financing for Development; the UN Summit on the Post-2015 Development Agenda; and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP 21,” the release said. “The conferences have significant bearing on the future global agenda and the development of the community.”
With the Strategic Plan for the community 2015-2019 and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Accelerated Modalities of Actions (Samoa Pathway) also in focus, discussions with the UN Secretary-General will seek to rationalise an integrated approach to the sustainable development in the community, as it seeks to make vibrant societies and resilient economies a reality, the release continued.
The Samoa Pathway reportedly emanated from the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in September 2014.
The Caricom Heads of Government Conference will commence with a formal ceremony on Thursday at the Hilton Barbados Resort. Outgoing Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government, Perry Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, and incoming Chairman, Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados, are among the heads of Government who will make addresses at the ceremony.
Newly-elected and re-elected heads of Government of Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Dominica, and Suriname, as well as Caricom Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque will also speak at the ceremony, the release added.