KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith leaves the island today, as she heads Jamaica’s delegation to the second Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States and the European Union (CELAC-EU) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The meeting, which is scheduled for October 25 and 26, is expected to facilitate discussions on the future of the bi-regional partnership for economic cooperation, and review the status of implementation of the development programmes and actions adopted by the CELAC-EU Summits held in 2013 and 2015.

The minister will also participate in the 12th Meeting of CELAC Foreign Ministers, as well as an ACP Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM)-EU Encounter.

As the current Chair of CARIFORUM, Johnson Smith will co-chair the bi-regional meeting with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. 

CARIFORUM Foreign Ministers will provide an update on the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) at this meeting. 

Other topics for discussion include cooperation in sustainable development; energy and climate change; improving tax governance; and the challenges related to the withdrawal of correspondent banking and investment regimes in the Caribbean.

The EU and Latin America and the Caribbean have enjoyed productive relations since the first bi-regional Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1999, which established a strategic partnership focused on economic growth and cooperation.

The Jamaican delegation includes Ambassador of Jamaica to the Kingdom of Belgium and Mission to the European Union Vilma McNish, as well as other senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.