By: Kimberly Ramkhalawan
May 6, 2022
Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Eamon Courtenay says talks are currently ongoing on how the current Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA can be strengthened in light of the current Russia/Ukraine war.
His comments came as SICA-CARICOM-EU Foreign Ministers met in Panama, to discuss how the two regions can work together to support the economic recovery post the COVID-19 Pandemic. Also on the cards was the need to reform the current international financial systems that would aid in regions around the world working together.
Representing the EU’s foreign Affairs and Security Policy was its ambassador Josep Borrell who reassured its work together to mitigate the food prices and fuel increases emanating from the latest war. Borrell took the opportunity to thank CARICOM heads on behalf of European Union members for the clear position Caribbean leader took in condemning the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
And while he expressed the impact the war would have on the world particularly the Caribbean and its vulnerabilities, he assured the EU’s commitment to building a stronger EU-CARICOM partnership for the future, through maintaining its current developmental projects
The meeting marked the first meeting the ambassador had with regional Foreign Affairs Ministers in this format. Ambassador Borrell acknowledged the particular vulnerabilities of the Caribbean, and confirmed the EU’s commitment to maintain development cooperation efforts in the region. The new EU-Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States agreement aims to take the relationship to a more comprehensive partnership of political equals, while the EU will continue to provide cooperation worth a minimum amount of €800 million for the Caribbean in the period 2021-27. Borrell says the current global state of affairs reiterated the need for multilateralism, international order and standing up for democratic societies even more now. The meeting which comes following after some fifty years of relations, Borrel said it was necessary to maintain regular meetings with the region at the foreign ministerial level annually if their partnerships are to be strengthened.
Panama’s call to the foreign ministers of Central America and the Caribbean, plus the European Union, takes place within the framework of the Pro Tempore Presidency (PPT) of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
This facilitates the harmonization and articulation of the regional agenda with the national objectives of the member countries, and guarantees initiatives to strengthen integration, cooperation, democracy and understanding.