CONTEMPORARY development issues and challenges facing Caribbean governments and regional inter-governmental agencies will be the focus of a new seminar series being sponsored by the Organisation of American States (OAS) Department of Sustainable Development.

The series, the OAS said yesterday, is intended to raise awareness and build understanding of the Caribbean’s sustainable development agenda among Washington-based development agencies, and to be a catalyst for a more strategic and collaborative response to the Caribbean’s needs in this area.

The first seminar, which will take place today at OAS headquarters in Washington, will explore the topic Climate Variability and Climate Change: The Caribbean Response. It begins at 10:00 am and will feature Kenrick Leslie, Neville Trotz and Carlos Fuller of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre; Walter Vergara, of the World Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Division; and Mark Lambrides of the OAS Department of Sustainable Development.

The panellists will review the latest scientific opinion and research on global climate change, highlight the manifestations of the phenomena in the Caribbean region, and review the outcomes of planning and adaptation programmes in the Caribbean.

The series will consist of six bimonthly seminars during 2007, each featuring presentations by a panel to include senior Caribbean government officials, representatives of regional intergovernmental organisations in the Caribbean and senior officials of development partner institutions based in Washington, DC. The presentations will be followed by a facilitated discussion session among panellists and participants.

Participation is open to officials of Washington-based institutions engaged in the Caribbean region.