New Delhi, (UNI) The second meeting of the India-CARICOM Joint Commission was held in virtual mode today, during which the two sides discussed strengthening economic cooperation, enhancing trade and closer partnership in the areas of education, digital public infrastructure, among other things.
The Indian delegation was led by Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and the CARICOM side was led by Barbara Dailey, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Chair of COFCOR.
Representatives from CARICOM Secretariat, CARICOM member states and Ministries in Government of India participated in the virtual meeting.
The Joint Commission reviewed the entire spectrum of relations between India and CARICOM or the Caribbean Community including economic and commercial, agriculture, health and pharmaceuticals, energy and infrastructure, technology & innovation, human resource & capacity building, culture and people-to-people exchange, a statement said.
Both sides deliberated on strengthening economic cooperation, enhancing trade and fostering a robust partnership in the areas of education, digital public infrastructure, development cooperation, renewable energy, science and technology, climate change adaptation, disaster management and resilient infrastructure.
Both sides also noted with satisfaction enhanced frequency of high-level interactions between India and CARICOM, including the India-CARICOM Foreign Ministerial Meeting held on September 27 in New York and forthcoming engagements, the statement added.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a grouping of 20 countries: 15 Member States and five Associate Members. It is home to approximately 16 million citizens, 60% of whom are under the age of 30, and from the main ethnic groups of Indigenous Peoples, Africans, Indians, Europeans, Chinese, Portuguese and Javanese.
The Community is multi-lingual; with English as the major language complemented by French and Dutch and variations of these, as well as African and Asian expressions. Stretching from The Bahamas in the north to Suriname and Guyana in South America, CARICOM comprises states that are considered developing countries, and except for Belize, in Central America and Guyana and Suriname in South America, all Members and Associate Members are island states.
