6th CARICOM-Cuba Summit on Friday, agreed to strengthen ties in climate adaptation & resilience

​The 6th CARICOM-Cuba Summit held on Friday December 8, agreed to strengthen cooperation in climate resilience, disaster risk management and mitigation. Strengthening ties on this very topical and critical issue for both sides was underlined by the signing of an MOU between the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the Cuban Civil Defence Agency at the Summit.
 
The severe opportunity costs of natural disasters for the economies of both sides was also discussed. It was however pointed out that the resulting challenges spurred both sides to upgrade their disaster preparedness and risk protection policies and measures. It was felt that Science, Technology and innovation were important contributing factors in this area. The triennial Summit Meeting between CARICOM and Cuba was initiated in 2002, and marks the historic and politically courageous decision of the four independent CARICOM states (Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago) in 1972, at the height of the Cold War, to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba.
 
This 6th Summit, focused on the development cooperation, trade & economic relations between the parties. In the area of trade and economic relations, after the signing of an additional protocol to the Trade & Economic Cooperation Agreement earlier this year, it was recognized by both sides that there is great potential to be exploited. The Summit noted the significantly increased interest among Caribbean entrepreneurs to develop business & commercial relations.
 
The potential for complementarity in the area of tourism was recognized by the signing at the Summit of an MOU on multi-destination tourism between CARICOM countries and Cuba. In this regard, the Summit identified air and sea transportation as an area requiring priority attention, and the acquisition of cargo ships was proposed. The decision was taken to advance joint cooperation in science, technology and innovation, including the development of enhanced research and development capacity, and to this end, the drafting of an MOU is underway.
 
The Summit reiterated condemnation of the US trade, economic and financial embargo against Cuba, and expressed concern over the regression in relations between the US and Cuba. The Summit concluded with the endorsement of the Declaration of St Mary’s.