1. PRESS RELEASE
Caribbean Community Secretariat, P.O. Box 10827, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana; Tel: 592-222-0001/0075
Fax: 592-222-0171/0095; E-mail: <carisec3@caricom.org><piu@caricom.org>; Website: http://www.caricom.org
NO: 14/2012 DATE: 22nd January 2012
UK-Caribbean to build strong ties around four key areas
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean and the
United Kingdom have agreed to establish a new and improved strategic partnership to
promote prosperity growth and development within both regions.
This is in keeping with the spirit of cooperation and with the theme of the Seventh UK-
Caribbean Forum - Sustainable Growth Toward Prosperity – which opened in Grenada on
Friday evening.
The spirit of the new strategic partnership is reflected in the 31-point action plan which was
issued at the end of the two-day political dialogue on Sunday afternoon.
The action plan outlines four major areas of cooperation: economic resilience, security,
climate change and sustainable development and foreign policy.
With that outcome document Foreign Ministers agreed to build economic resilience through
development of practical mechanisms that will boost growth in investment, employment,
production and trade opportunities that would redound to the benefit of both Regions.
The UK agreed to support the efforts of the Caribbean in improving their food security
through efficient production and distribution measures.
Perhaps the most welcome news for the Caribbean is the agreement by the UK to re-open
dialogue on issues relating to the Air Passenger Duty (APD) which is threatening the
Caribbean‟s tourism sector. The UK agreed that in the spirit of cooperation and in the context
of the importance of tourism to the economic development of the Caribbean, it will continue
dialogue with a view to assisting the Region in mitigating any deleterious effects that the
application of the tax may have on its economies.
The Foreign Ministers also agreed to develop effective coordination mechanisms to help
advance the fight against drugs and international crime.
In the area of climate change and sustainable development the UK noted that the Caribbean
already had a very strong voice in the international community and is poised to “give value
for money.” Therefore Foreign Ministers agreed on the urgency of closing mitigation gaps to
bring global temperatures well below 2oC or below 1.5oC above preindustrial levels.
As it relates to foreign policy, the Foreign Ministers agreed to work together in international
fora to tackle pressing socio-political and security issues which threaten international peace
and security.
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2. The full text of the Action Plan is appended below:
SEVENTH UK-CARIBBEAN FORUM
FINAL ACTION PLAN
22 January 2012
22 January 2012
ACTION PLAN
At the Conclusion of the Seventh Ministerial UK-Caribbean Forum held in St. Georges,
Grenada, Ministers Agreed:
Economic Resilience
To establish a new strategic partnership between the countries of the Caribbean and the
United Kingdom to promote prosperity and build economic resilience through the
development of practical mechanisms which will enhance growth in investment,
employment, production and trade opportunities to the benefit of the Caribbean and the UK;
To continue to work together to ensure that UK Aid to the Caribbean achieves optimum
development results.
To explore all avenues, including the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA),
to improve access for Caribbean exports of goods and services, via policy frameworks. These
would include taking concrete steps to, inter alia, attain international standards, reduce
bureaucracy, facilitate business travel, and increase levels of innovation.
To promote the development of the services sector through increased facilitation of service
providers, consumers and cooperation among public and private sector partners, including
Business Support Organisations, recognizing the fundamental importance of growth in this
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3. sector for the social and economic development of both the United Kingdom and the
Caribbean.
To continue to build the capacity and enhance the competitiveness of Small and Medium-
sized Enterprises.
To work to stimulate improvement in the investment climate, with attention to the
regulatory framework and, through reform, to stimulate greater competition in order to
attract greater levels of both domestic and foreign investment.
To support the efforts of the Caribbean countries to improve their food security and the
resilience of their food and agricultural sectors, through measures aimed at enhancing the
efficiency of production and distribution systems and the economic security of producers.
To continue dialogue on issues relating to the APD, in the spirit of cooperation and in the
context of the importance of tourism to the economic development of the Caribbean, with a
view to assisting the region in mitigating any deleterious effects that the application of the
APD may have on its economies.
To work together to ensure that final EU decisions on the proposals for Improving the Impact
of EU Development Policy and on the Future Approach to EU Budget Support are appropriate
and take into account the particular needs of the Caribbean”.
To work together to make the case in international fora that, notwithstanding their
categorisation as middle income countries, the Caribbean nations are highly vulnerable to
exogenous shocks and natural disasters due to their small size, limited human, technical and
financial resources, high-indebtedness and exposure to the effects of climate change.
To agree that the UK will engage the Caribbean in advance of G20 and OECD meetings to
obtain an appreciation of Caribbean concerns so as to ensure that the decision- making in
these bodies takes account of the special and particular circumstances of the small,
developing Caribbean states.
To work together on migration and its proper management and to raise greater awareness of
the positive contributions made by immigrants in the areas of social, political and economic
development.
To work towards the increased engagement of the Caribbean diaspora in order to foster
investment, the expansion of markets for goods and services and to encourage opportunities
for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Security
To look to develop, during 2012, effective coordination mechanisms to help take forward our
partnership in the fight against drugs and international crime, including through the
establishment of a UK-Caribbean Expertise Exchange Mechanism to promote best practices on
security issues across the region.
To enhance collaboration and coordination in the fight against illegal drug trafficking among
the Caribbean, the UK and its Overseas Territories through regional initiatives, greater
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4. intelligence sharing, and targeting the proceeds of crime and support the Caribbean to
engage more effectively with the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI).
To establish, in full collaboration with the United States of America, a regional network of
land- based law enforcement units trained and equipped to a common standard. These units
would provide a fully inter-operable regional resource to conduct land based surveillance and
interdiction operations.
To work to restrict the illegal trade and availability of small arms and light weapons which
contribute to the increasing level of armed violence and undermine stability, security and
development.
To remain engaged in negotiations to conclude an Arms Trade Treaty in 2012 and for the
successful outcome of the Review Conference of the UN Plan of Action to Prevent, Combat
and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.
To work together to strengthen the criminal justice systems in countries, including through
the establishment of national prosecution services, modernisation of laws of evidence to
include forensics and best practice on gathering evidence from suspects and witnesses. The
UK and the Caribbean will work with the Commonwealth Legislative Drafting Programme to
assist with the development of criminal procedure/justice in the region.
To share best practices and use this to strengthen efforts to reduce youth crime, gangs and
violence and improve the juvenile justice system in the Caribbean.
To strengthen efforts to combat the trafficking in persons; and to keep each side apprised of
issues related to criminal deportees.
To cooperate in joint efforts to protect and bolster their common land and maritime borders
and to ensure that all land and maritime borders are mutually agreed and, disputes are
settled in accordance with International Law.
To continue to work together to fulfil the human rights obligations contained in the UN
Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Climate Change and Sustainable Development
23. To collaborate closely on climate change issues, recognising that current „business as
usual‟ trends are likely to lead to catastrophic climate change, including warming, since the
pre-industrial period of 4C or more. Preventing this is an imperative we share.
24. To work together with urgency and vigour to:
urgently close the ambition gap between current mitigation commitments and those
necessary to keep long-term temperature increases well below 2C or 1.5C above pre-
industrial levels;
secure agreement by 2015 based on the Durban Platform for enhanced action on a
comprehensive legally binding global framework, incorporating commitments commensurate
with a 2C or 1.5C threshold;
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5. to ensure that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is made fully operational and begins to disburse
funds as expeditiously as possible, including to enhance climate resilience in the most
vulnerable countries;
to identify sources and ensure adequate mobilisation of long-term climate finance in coming
years, and to meet the agreed goal of $100bn of additional finance, per year, by 2020;
to build on and strengthen the cooperation that emerged at COP17 between the members of
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the European
Union (EU); and to widen this alliance to include other like minded parties; and to use this to
ensure that the world delivers on the commitments made in Durban especially in relation to
the 2015 deadline for a comprehensive, legally binding agreement;
to strengthen the capacity of the Caribbean countries to participate in the international
climate change negotiations.
To act together in our own economies and societies to reinforce these goals. Actions speak
louder than words.
To continue to work together to build climate resilience in the Caribbean at national and
regional levels. We welcome the progress that is being made on all continents to build
climate resilient and low carbon models for development. We will cooperate to ensure that
the Caribbean plays a full part in this movement, and is able to take full advantage of the
opportunities that are opening up.
To work together in addressing the concerns of small island developing states as agreed in the
Barbados Programme of Action and the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation.
To develop a long-term strategy to ensure energy security for the Caribbean through the
greater use of indigenous and renewable sources, given its energy supply challenges. This
would include technical exchanges between both sides as a matter of urgency; increased
investment in green technology; and the encouragement of public, private and academic
partnerships between the UK and the Caribbean to develop and utilise alternative energy
sources.
Other Foreign Policy Issues
To work together in international fora to tackle pressing socio-political and security issues
which threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.
To continue working together in the Commonwealth to strengthen the organisation, to
safeguard its principles and traditions for democracy, human rights, development and
prosperity in all member states, by engaging in relevant post CHOGM follow up activities,
including the implementation of CMAG reform.
To support the principle and the right to self determination for all peoples, including the
Falkland Islanders, recognising the historical importance of self-determination in the political
development of the Caribbean, and its core status as an internationally agreed principle
under the United Nations Charter.
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6. CONTACT: piu@caricom.org; caricompublicinfo@gmail.com
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