Outcomes from CARICOM Heads, WTO and CELAC conferences
LAST WEEK, as I wrote in my two previous articles, three important regional/ international conferences were held – the 46th CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Guyana; the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in the United Arab Emirates; and the CELAC Summit in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Here in Jamaica, they did not receive as much attention as the focus was on the local government elections and their outcome. The question for this week is what was accomplished at these three conferences?
CARICOM HEADS
The communiqué from the conference as usual sets out decisions made and statements issued. At the opening ceremony, the main speakers – the CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett; the outgoing chair, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica; and incoming chair, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana – hailed achievements at the regional level and the unity and influence of the region in key international fora.
Dr Carla Barnett stated that CARICOM speaks loudly and clearly in the international community and its determined advocacy has helped to spur positive change for critical hemispheric and global issues.
On the status of implementing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), in its 23rd year, the chair of the Prime Ministerial Subcommittee, the prime minister of Barbados, reported on progress. We are informed that heads agreed on urgent steps to expedite objectives which include intensified work towards free movement, and speeding up reviews to facilitate harmonisation of certain business laws and mutual recognition. They again emphasised the importance of digital transformation, in this case, in respect to companies’ registries. They established a committee of information technology experts under the Prime Ministerial Subcommittee on Information Communication and Technology (ICT), chaired by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada. Work is continuing to establish a Regional Securities Market by July. So, the effort to expedite is continuing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and their recognition of the need for the CSME.
Specific to free movement of CARICOM nationals by the end of March, we are informed that technical and legal work is to be completed for consideration by mid-March. I hope to see this.
On food and nutrition security, the heads were informed that work continued on policy measures and mechanisms. In addition, there has been increased awareness and buy-in within the region, with more than 73 projects and programmes supporting the‘25 by 2025’initiative being implemented by over 13 regional partners and donors. Other initiatives are at different stages of formulation. Heads would be expecting more concrete outcomes at their July conference.
On air and maritime transportation, there is an upcoming pilot regional ferry service which would be a key component to the region’s food security efforts. The impression from t he reporting on this subject is that there is much work to be done and a wide range of investment opportunities for the private sector to explore.
So, the impression here is that the i mplementation of CSME continues to grind on with the hope that by the July conference in Grenada, there may be some tangible achievements in agriculture, free movement, and information technology.
Other issues addressed by the heads i ncluded development financing, climate change and climate finance, Haiti, Gaza, and the border issues. Statements were issued on Haiti, Gaza, climate change, regional development finance, and crime and public safety.
WTO MC13
As becoming customary, the WTO MC 13 continued for one additional day as the effort intensified to get agreement on major issues. This did not happen as the director general would have wanted. The deliverables were lite. The meeting was described by some commentators as lacklustre.
The outcomes included accession of two new members, Comoros and Timor-Leste, and extension of the moratorium on electronic commerce until MC14. MC13 actually did what a ministerial meeting was intended to do – it approved the work programme of the organisation for the next two years.
CARICOM ministers in attendance were from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts/Nevis, and Suriname. Guyana was the lead minister for CARICOM.
A proper assessment of this meeting has to be done later.
CELAC SUMMIT
St Vincent and the Grenadines has been commended for its hosting of this one-day meeting. It is reported that several declarations were adopted. President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, President Ifraan Ali of Guyana, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil were at the meeting. Lula had been a special guest at the CARICOM Heads meeting.
However, reporting on this meeting requires some research. An assessment will also have to be done when more information is available.
Given the many difficult situations unfolding at the regional, hemispheric and global levels, it is increasingly important that we track these meetings and CARICOM’s, including Jamaica’s, actions and positions. Even if it may seem on the surface that not much resulted from these meetings.