The regional health sector is set to receive a major boost following the signing of a new cooperation agreement between the Caribbean Community and the Government of Spain.
The agreement formalises Spain’s €400,000 contribution toward the project “Strengthening Regional Leadership, Governance and Coordinated Action in Health to Address New and Existing Health Challenges in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),” which is being implemented by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Public Health Agency.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday, May 6, by CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and Spain’s Ambassador to CARICOM, María Cristina Pérez Gutiérrez, during the Tenth Meeting of the Joint Technical Committee of the CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund for Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
In opening remarks, Assistant Secretary-General in the Foreign and Community Relations Directorate, Elizabeth Solomon, underscored the importance of the CARICOM-Spain partnership.
“The CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund continues to play an important role in advancing regional priorities through cooperation that has evolved into a results-oriented programme of support that is both practical and responsive, delivering tangible benefits to the people of the Caribbean Community,” Solomon said.
Pérez Gutiérrez also reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to regional cooperation.
“Spain values its partnership with CARICOM and remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen resilience, sustainability and regional cooperation,” she stated.
The Joint Technical Committee also considered two new regional project proposals valued at a combined US$700,000.
The first proposal, titled “Greening Caribbean Ports Programme (GCPP): Advancing Sustainable Maritime Infrastructure in Caribbean Small Island Developing States,” is expected to be implemented by the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and the Port Management Association of the Caribbean.
The second proposal, “Strengthening the Caribbean Emergency Response Capabilities through the Next Level Regional Response Mechanism (RRM),” is expected to be implemented by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.
Both sides reaffirmed that the CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund remains an important mechanism for supporting priority regional initiatives and strengthening technical cooperation between CARICOM and Spain.
