11TH European Development Fund Implementation Report 2017- 2023

(5) TEECA Under the INTERREG Trade Enhancement for the Eastern Caribbean (INTERREG TEECA) Project, Caribbean Export partnered with the OECS and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Martinique to accelerate trade in the Eastern Caribbean, by providing assistance to companies based in Martinique and the English-speaking countries of the OECS wishing to access other markets. The programme covered several areas including capacity building and training support, market studies and well as business match making to MSMEs whose core businesses ranged from ICT, agro-processing, renewable energy and fashion and music. (6) CARIFORUM Ministerial Consultations From March 29-30, 2017, Caribbean Export attended the CARIFORUM Ministerial Consultation on the Caribbean within the EU/CELAC Partnership and Future of the ACP and Post-Cotonou ACP/EU Relation in Kingston, Jamaica. The meetings were convened in keeping with the decision of the 24th meeting of the CARIFORUM Council of Ministers that was held in November 2016. The gathering sought to address the Caribbean’s role in the EU-CELAC partnership, as well as elaborate on CARIFORUM’s strategy on the future of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group and that of ACP-EU Relations post-2020. During the Consultation on the Caribbean within the EU/CELAC Partnership, Dr. Anita Montoute of the University of the West Indies (UWI) presented to the Ministers the major highlights of her study on the Caribbean in the CELAC/EU Partnership. Dr. Montoute’s study also included several recommendations for enhancing the Caribbean experience in the bi-regional partnership. At the meetings on the Future of the ACP and Future ACP-EU Relations Post-Cotonou, the CARIFORUM Director General updated the Ministers on the recent developments of the UK’s withdrawal of its membership from the EU; as well as a presentation that outlined the issues for which there had been consensus; and on those which are still to be decided. The Ministerial Council noted that there was consensus on the maintenance of the tri-continental structure/partnership of the ACP and confirmed their support for pillars elaborated for the ACP.

Implementation of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Regional Private Sector Development Programme (RPSDP)

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