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The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is set to gather for its 47th Regular Meeting in St George’s, Grenada, from July 3 to 5, highlighting a critical agenda aimed at deepening regional integration and addressing pivotal issues facing the region.
The agenda for the meeting covers vital topics such as the agri-food systems agenda with an emphasis on food and nutrition security.
Discussions will also span climate change, sustainable development, and foreign policy, alongside a focus on strengthening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
Engagements with social partners are also on the schedule, reinforcing the collaborative framework within the community.
Aviation and free movement: Forward movements in integration
A significant focus will be on the operationalization of the Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA), which aims to create a unified market for air transport services within the Community.
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Leaders will also assess progress towards ambitious regional goals, such as achieving full free movement and reducing food imports by 25 per cent by 2025, showcasing a commitment to self-reliance and economic resilience.
Technology and innovation on the forefront
The meeting will introduce a Strategy for Regional Digital Resilience for the years 2025-2030, marking a step forward in integrating technology and innovation within the region’s developmental agenda.
Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, as the incoming chairman and lead Head of Government for Science and Technology, will play a pivotal role in steering these discussions.
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Honoring regional icons
The opening ceremony will acknowledge two distinguished figures from the Caribbean. Legendary Guyanese cricketer, Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd, and esteemed Jamaican regionalist, Roderick Rainford, a former CARICOM Secretary-General, will be honored with the Order of the Caribbean Community.
This event will set the tone for the meeting, celebrating the achievements and contributions of its members.
Historic venue with a legacy
The Heads of Government will hold their business sessions at the Radisson Beach Resort, Grand Anse, a site of significant historical importance as the birthplace of the Grand Anse Declaration and Work Programme.
This declaration has been foundational in enhancing economic and political cooperation among member states, promoting principles of sovereignty, non-interference, and equality.
Closing and commemorative events
The conference will conclude with a hybrid format media conference, followed by the Seventeenth CARICOM Elite 10K, Open 10K, and Youth 1.7K Road Races, fostering camaraderie and community spirit among professional and amateur athletes from across the Caribbean.
A milestone year for regional unity
As Grenada celebrates its 50th Independence anniversary, the CARICOM meeting also marks the close of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of CARICOM itself.
These milestones offer a crucial reference point for leaders to shape a regional integration agenda beyond the 50th anniversary.
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