CARICOM AND JAPAN TO HOLD FIRST SUMMIT

Georgetown, July 24, 2014.- Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will meet with Japanese Prime Minister His Excellency Shinzo Abe in the first ever CARICOM-Japan Summit on 28 July 2014 in Trinidad and Tobago.

Since 1993, CARICOM and Japan have enjoyed friendly relations and this summit signals a quantum leap in their engagement as it is the first time that a Japanese Prime Minister is visiting the Region. It is being held during the designated CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year to observe two decades of relationship in diverse fields such as culture, trade and tourism; and a special logo has been created to symbolically express this relationship.

The Summit’s agenda issues for discussion include: The vulnerabilities of CARICOM and the necessary cooperation for its sustainable growth; strengthening exchanges and the bonds of friendship and deepening cooperation in the international arena.

At a time when regions across the world are engaged in discussions on the priorities for the post 2015- development goals and the upcoming Third United Nations Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), this September, in Samoa, the Summit provides a timely opportunity to advance CARICOM’s priorities in these areas and for fostering solidarity between CARICOM and Japan.

The Summit comes on the heels of the 35th meeting of Heads of Government which approved the Community’s Strategic Plan for the next five years (2015-2019) which includes deepening foreign policy co-ordination among its priorities.

The Official Opening of the Summit will be addressed by CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Prime Minister of Trinidad of Tobago and host, Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar; Chair of CARICOM, Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Prime Minister Abe.

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