GREATER GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The CARICOM Single Market and Economy has the “unstinting support” of the Kingdom of Spain.
This assurance was given by the Prime Minister of Spain, His Excellency Jose Luis Zapatero at the opening of the Fourth CARICOM/Spain Summit which was held in Madrid, Spain on Thursday, July 11.
In response, Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Honourable Baldwin Spencer, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda welcomed the support as well as the interest expressed by Spain in contributing to the “CARICOM Development Fund which would benefit disadvantaged regions countries and sectors affected during the CSME integration process.”
Prime Minister Zapatero said that Spain and CARICOM had mutual interests and concerns such as action to alleviate poverty, a deep interest in social development issues such as education and health, a strong commitment to democracy and the rule of law as well as human rights, strong support for multilateralism, encouraging sustainable development and combating the effects of global warming.
Mr Zapatero said Spain was committed to the battle against rising fuel and commodity prices and food shortages and announced that in this regard Spain will be convening in Madrid on July 15, a conference on Haiti, “one of the worst hit countries by this crisis.”
Mr Spencer noted that the CARICOM/Spain relations had grown steadily in recent years and the programme of co-operation had facilitated support in a number of areas of mutual interest including governance, the environment, culture and gender and development.
“In addition, the Region has benefited from Spain’s expertise in the areas of marine resource management and fisheries,” he added.
Both leaders alluded to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) and the European Union (EU) with Mr Zapatero hailing it as “an historical milestone” and Mr Spencer noting that it was not without its challenges.
The CARICOM Chairman said the Agreement presented opportunities in trade, development and investment and hoped that both parties could find practical responses and solutions to the challenges posed by the EPA.
The Spanish Prime Minister announced that the King and Queen of Spain would be visiting Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago from 1-4 December 2008 – the first visit by a Spanish monarch to the English-speaking Caribbean.
“We trust your Region. That is why there are major Spanish investments there,” Mr Zapatero said. He pointed out that Spain had rendered annual support on both a bilateral and multilateral basis amounting to 60 million euros annually.
Both sides signed a Joint Declaration at the end of the one-day meeting at the La Mancloa Palace as well as an agreement to pursue a Memorandum of Understanding with respect to the Spanish/Turkish initiative, the Alliance of Civilisations. That Alliance seeks to improve understanding and communications between the Western and Islamic Worlds.
