KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica is to host the CARIFORUM EU Regional Consultations on the successor to the ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement that will expire in 2020.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith says she looks forward to welcoming all visiting delegations, to chairing the CARIFORUM Caucus and to co-chairing the CARIFORUM EU Consultations.

“Having been an active participant in this process even before it formally started, I am truly pleased, together with my ministry team, to host 9 CARIFORUM Ministers, the EU and ACP Chief Negotiators, the Secretary’s General of both the ACP and CARICOM, the Director-General of CARIFORUM, as well as other dignitaries, right here in Kingston. The meetings are important to making progress on our negotiations for a post 2020 agreement,” Johnson Smith said in a release from her ministry.

“The Caucus will take place on Sunday the 14th ahead of the CARIFORUM-EU Consultation with the European Union on Monday, April 15th where we will hold discussions on the ACP-EU Post-Cotonou Regional Protocol, with a focus on regional priorities. This is a critical phase in the negotiation process,” she explained.

“As the public may recall, the agreement is the framework by which we will continue to benefit from EU developmental funding. It is therefore very important to attainment of our national and regional developmental goals.”

Johnson Smith shared, “I must say that Jamaica truly looks forward to welcoming the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development and Chief Negotiator for the EU, Neven Mimica and the Chief Negotiator for the ACP Group, Professor the Honourable Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and African Integration of the Togolese Republic and ACP Chief Negotiator. Both gentlemen have been great partners and advocates for positive results for all in these negotiations.”