IN what can only be lauded as a historic initiative, Climate Change and the Caribbean Region’s vulnerability and inherent need to be treated differently by the international community has been given prominence in the Cooperation Plan signed onto at the just concluded Meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) – China Forum which ended on Friday in Beijing, China.

Guyana, a nation that has been at the forefront as it relates to combatting climate change, fielded a delegation led by Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who in addressing the forum lauded the move by the world leaders.
China’s President Xi Jinping chaired the opening ceremony which was also attended by Luis Guillermo Solis, the President of Costa Rica and Pro Tempore Chair of CELAC; Perry Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas and the current CARICOM representative on the CELAC Quartet; Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador and incoming Pro Tempore Chair of CELAC and; Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela.
Ms. Rodrigues-Birkett, in her address to the forum, said while not underestimating the importance of the other areas listed in the ‘Plan,’ Climate Change is the “greatest challenge of our times.”
“Guyana, as a low lying coastal developing state together with our Caribbean colleagues are pleased that climate change is given prominence in the Cooperation Plan since we are very vulnerable to the impact of climate change,” she said.
She reminded those gathered for the forum that several of the most vulnerable countries in the world are found in the Caribbean and as a result “the consensus that Caribbean States must be treated differently is therefore welcomed.”

SOUTH-SOUTH CO-OPERATION
As it relates to future relations, Ms. Rogdrigues-Birkett told the forum: “We are encouraged by the potential role of the CELAC-China Forum in promoting increased South-South cooperation between China and the Latin American and Caribbean Region.”

She pointed out that the proposed areas for cooperation in a large part cover mutual interests and “once implemented will redound (contribute greatly) to the growth and development of our peoples.”
Form a Guyanese perspective, the Minister informed that great value is seen in the initiatives outlined in the Cooperation Plan and such will “embrace all opportunities afforded to be part of such collaboration.”
She also concurred with the Chinese Foreign Minister that the easiest part is over with the completion of the Cooperation Plan.
The Chinese official had also highlighted the need for the plan to be converted into workable projects which must be implemented with alacrity so that there can be an early harvest.
The CELAC-China Forum is a bi-regional mechanism aimed at promoting cooperation between the CELAC Member States and China in a wide range of areas including: training of human resources; transfer of technology; infrastructure development; climate change; energy, natural resources; cultural exchanges and agriculture.
The Government of China, in collaboration with regional financial institutions will provide concessional financing for many of the projects developed within the framework of this mechanism.
The decision to develop this bi-regional mechanism was taken by the Heads of State and Government of the Region at the 2nd CELAC Summit which was held in Havana, Cuba in January, 2014. Six months later the CELAC – China Forum was officially launched in Brasilia on the margins of the BRICS Summit in July, 2014.
The meeting which was held under the theme “New Platform, New Starting Point, New Opportunity – Joint Efforts to Promote China-Latin America and the Caribbean Partnership of Comprehensive Cooperation,” adopted three main documents: the Beijing Declaration, the Operating Rules of the Forum, and The 2015-2019 Plan of Action.