WASHINGTON – In June 2007, the Governments of the Member States of the Caribbean Community, in collaboration with the Government of the United States of America and other partners, will be hosting a Conference on the Caribbean: A 2020 Vision at which all 15 CARICOM Heads of State/Government will attend.
The Conference on the Caribbean will take place against the backdrop of the recent coming into being of the CARICOM Single Market in 2006 and the positive efforts towards the creation of the framework for the Single Economy by 2008.
The Conference is being structured in such a way that there is Government to Government and people to people interaction as well as interaction between the Governments and the people.
This will be the first time the policy makers, the international financial institutions, academic community, private sector, and people of the Caribbean and the United States will interface in one Conference to examine the growth and development of the Caribbean Community from a regional perspective.
It is expected that by the end of the Conference the following major objectives would be achieved:
• The strengthening of the relationship between the United States and CARICOM by addressing the priority areas for the Caribbean’s future growth and development including issues related to trade, competitiveness and investment in mutually beneficial and reinforcing ways.
• The deepening and broadening of the dialogue between the Governments and People of CARICOM and the Government and People of the United States of America aimed at renewing the appreciation of U.S. and Caribbean policy makers of their shared future.
• The strengthening of the relationship among the different Caribbean Diaspora communities in the United States as well as examining mutually rewarding mechanisms for harnessing their skills in support of the Region’s development.
• The enhancement of the image of the Caribbean in the United States.
A Diaspora Forum will be convened on June 19-20 at the Headquarters of the Organisation of American States as part of the Conference on the Caribbean.
The forum is intended as a meeting of the Caribbean Diaspora in the USA to examine mutually rewarding mechanisms for harnessing their knowledge, skills and resources in accelerating the development of the Caribbean Community. The movement of human resources, forming networks for trade, tourism and investment promotion and attracting higher and more efficient forms of remittances will be among the issues addressed at the forum where the programme is being developed around the following:
• Defining the challenges and opportunities of the Diaspora communities.
• Examining the effect of financial resources of the Diaspora on development.
• Harnessing the skills, knowledge and professional networks of the Diaspora in addressing the development challenges and investment opportunities in the region.
• Charting the way forward.
Call for Papers: Diaspora Forum
Papers for the Diaspora Forum should reflect its theme and outline and should present solution centered research and implementation schemes designed to advance the Diaspora’s role in the Caribbean region.
To submit papers for the Diaspora Forum, send a 150-250 word abstract to Dr. Thomson Fontaine, President of the Caribbean Association of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund at [email protected]; and David Bulbulia, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Barbados at [email protected] by April 30, 2007. Final papers should not exceed twenty 8.5 x 11 pages and should be submitted by May 29, 2007. In your inquiry, include your name, contact information and professional affiliation.
Instructions to authors
• Short Abstracts – Due by April 30, 2007.
– 250 words up to one page
– will be reproduced in black and white and will be provided to the conference in advance and at the conference itself.
• Final Papers – Due by May 29, 2007
– can be up to 4500 words and no more than twenty pages in length
– use 10 point Arial font, fully justified and single-spaced
– page size can be either A4 or 8 ½”x11”
-graphics can be text figures and ideally, should be pasted in the text
– for each text figure or graphic, indicate a figure number and include a caption for the figure in the text
– final papers will be provided to the conference in advance and at the conference itself.
Review of Papers
A review committee, comprising members of the CARICOM Caucus of Ambassadors (or their designates), representatives of the partner Pan –Caribbean Diaspora groups and the CARICOM Secretariat will review and select the papers. Papers selected will be provided to the conference in advance and at the conference itself.
Panelists
Panelist for the Diaspora Forum may be selected from among the authors of papers selected. Further details on financial support will be provided at the time when presenters are advised of the selection of their papers.
Post conference publication of papers
Papers presented at the conference may be published edited or unedited following the conference.
