Caricom, Cuba agree on covid19 medical assistance

Caricom has reinforced its position to continue receiving medical assistance from Cuba in the battle against the covid19 pandemic.

At the recently concluded seventh Caricom-Cuba summit, which was held via conference call on Tuesday, the two parties agreed to work towards covid19 management and the possible application of innovative Cuban biotech medicines, as epidemiological conditions in the region are common.

A media release said, “We express our will to continue to receive Cuban medical co-operation in recognition of its contribution to the well-being of the Caribbean people; in particular, its valuable human resources which were added to the fight against the covid19 pandemic.

“We reject any attempt to discredit, distort or disrupt Cuban medical assistance, an important aid to the region and to Caribbean healthcare system."

The summit recognised health, human-resource training, construction, sports, education, environmental protection, and natural-disaster risk reduction and mitigation, child development, special education needs and sustainable development as areas to build on for inclusive and equitable societies.

The meeting also stressed the importance of pooling resources and efforts to improve productivity, infrastructure, and air and sea connectivity in the region.

The need for an expansion of tourism, economic and trade ties were also addressed through the implementation of the revised Caricom-Cuba Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement.

“We acknowledge our commitment to finding avenues that promote our economic and commercial relations by identifying our strengths and possible complementarities, and by implementing and relying more on the second protocol to the Caricom-Cuba Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement.

“We also note that the Cuban economic model update, the Cuban foreign investment law and the Mariel special development zone offers broad and additional opportunities for the intensification and reinforcement of the economic ties between Caricom and Cuba,” said the release.

Emphasis was also placed on climate change and the impact on small island developing states (SIDS) and the two have committed to more exchanges in highlighting the repercussions for and context of Caricom and at relevant international agencies, in order to mitigate its adverse effects.

The release said, “We intend to underline that adaptation to the impact of climate change constitutes an immediate and urgent global priority and strengthening our co-operation in the protection of the environment and the sustainable use of our resources; in particular, those of the Caribbean Sea.”

South-South co-operation in bilateral and regional programmes, as well as triangular co-operation on development that promoted national priorities were also on the agenda.

Held every three years, after first meeting in TT in 1995, the meetings are geared towards health, environmental, sustainable development, and addressing the vulnerabilities of SIDS.