NewsWhore
06-15-2011, 03:30 PM
Dominican trade and development specialist Ivan Ogando took office on 10 June in Barbados as the first director general and coordinator for Cariforum, the grouping of Caribbean Common Market (Caricom) states, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. His start of office coincided with the First Meeting of the Trade and Development Committee under the Cariforum-European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which took place 9-10 June 2011 in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Introducing Ogando, Alexis Rosado, CEO n Belize Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, said: "He takes on this task at a time when CARIFORUM States are seeking to strengthen and breathe new life into role and responsibilities of CARIFORUM".
The post was created after authorities in the DR expressed their concern over the role of the Caricom Secretary General and the reporting procedures. Cariforum members agreed that a national of the Dominican Republic should be appointed to this role up to 16 September 2012.
The meeting in Barbados focused on legal issues, the ratification of the Agreement, institutional matters, trade in goods and services and other trade-related issues, development cooperation, and monitoring the implementation of the EPA.
In 2008, CARICOM and the Dominican Republic signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the 27-nation European Union (EU), but implementation has been lagging and efforts are underway to push the agreement forward among the Caribbean member states.
The member states of Cariforum are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Cuba became a member in October 2001. The UK and Dutch overseas territories have observer status while active co-operation is pursued with the French overseas departments and territories.
www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/press_releases_2011/pres212_11.jsp (http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/press_releases_2011/pres212_11.jsp)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)
Introducing Ogando, Alexis Rosado, CEO n Belize Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, said: "He takes on this task at a time when CARIFORUM States are seeking to strengthen and breathe new life into role and responsibilities of CARIFORUM".
The post was created after authorities in the DR expressed their concern over the role of the Caricom Secretary General and the reporting procedures. Cariforum members agreed that a national of the Dominican Republic should be appointed to this role up to 16 September 2012.
The meeting in Barbados focused on legal issues, the ratification of the Agreement, institutional matters, trade in goods and services and other trade-related issues, development cooperation, and monitoring the implementation of the EPA.
In 2008, CARICOM and the Dominican Republic signed the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the 27-nation European Union (EU), but implementation has been lagging and efforts are underway to push the agreement forward among the Caribbean member states.
The member states of Cariforum are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. Cuba became a member in October 2001. The UK and Dutch overseas territories have observer status while active co-operation is pursued with the French overseas departments and territories.
www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/press_releases_2011/pres212_11.jsp (http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/press_releases_2011/pres212_11.jsp)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)