The European Union (EU) and the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) have signed a €346 million cooperation programme to develop the region.
EU High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini and CARIFORUM Secretary General Irwin LaRocque signed the agreement on Thursday in Brussels, where the Second EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit was being held.
A joint communique said the cooperation programme is a significant contribution to Caribbean development efforts. It noted that it would focus on regional integration, climate change, sustainable energy and environment, and crime and security, and would include allocations to the Caribbean Investment Facility, which is aimed at stimulating further investment in the region, as well as multi-country initiatives.
The communique noted that the meeting of Heads of State and Governments of the CARIFORUM and Mogherini provided an opportunity to welcome and exchange views on the implementation of the Joint Caribbean-European Union Partnership Strategy, adopted in November 2012,
