The third Caricom/Cuba Sum-mit is set for Monday in Santiago de Cuba.

In a press release Caricom said the meeting will mark the first official meeting between Caribbean Community leaders and President Raul Castro who assumed leadership when former President Fidel Castro retired in February. The meeting’s agenda will include discussions on the financial, energy and food crises and on climate change and their impact on Caribbean countries. The leaders are also expected to discuss cooperation between Cuba and Caricom countries and the issuing of the Declaration of Santiago de Cuba.

Caricom countries have long enjoyed a unique relationship with Cuba based on solidarity and fraternity. In 1972 diplomatic relations were established between the then independent Caricom states: Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana and Cuba. Since then the Caribbean Community has benefited from cooperation programmes with Cuba through technical assistance, training and the sharing of knowledge and expertise in areas such as education, medicine, energy conservation and disaster management. “Such meaningful cooperation has been a hallmark of the relationship to date,” Caricom said.

Meanwhile, Caricom said it has recently provided relief in various forms to a number of its member states that were devastated by the ravages of four hurricanes with Cuba and Haiti most severely affected.