Caricom trade ministers have reiterated the need for a strong development component and a structure that caters for political involvement in the upcoming negotiations with Canada.
Caricom and Canada are soon to begin negotiations for a Trade and Development Agreement, the Secretariat said in a press release. To this end, a Technical Working Group (TWG) is to meet shortly to finalise the Region’s Negotiating Brief which will be presented for approval at a Special COTED prior to the first negotiating session with Canada which should take place before July month end.
Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Assistant Secretary-General Trade and Economic Integration said that during “fruitful” discussions at the 26th Special Meeting of COTED on Trade ministers stressed that any negotiations with Canada must have a strong development component. LaRocque said the ministers also recognised and agreed that there was need for the negotiating structure to allow for political engagement between Caricom ministers and their Canadian counterparts on the negotiations.
The COTED, held in Antigua and Barbuda, closed on Saturday with an all-day meeting during which a paper was presented on the Region’s position on the upcoming mini-ministerial of the Doha Development Round. The TWG is to refine the Community’s Negotiating Brief and to highlight the Region’s core areas of interest.
As regard Caricom-US Trade Relations the ministers reiterated the need for the US to extend the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA). In keeping with this they recognised efforts being made by Congressman Charles Rangel, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the US House of Representatives. During the Conference on the Caribbean in June President George W Bush and Rangel made a commitment to Caricom to work on extending the CBTPA.
The ministers also agreed to prioritize the schedule for External Trade Negotiations. They agreed too on the completion of outstanding negotiations before taking on board new ones; based on the requests and commitments to engage in trade negotiations and capacity limitations at the national and regional levels.
