On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, at National Insurance Services (NIS) Conference Room, Kingstown, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in collaboration with other key stakeholders, officially launched the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME) Standby Facility for Capacity Building Projects for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

L-R:  Master of Ceremony:  Mrs. Marla Nanton-James (at the lectern), Mr. Felipe de la Mota, Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM and the OECS, Mrs. Nerissa Gittens-McMillan, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, Hon. Curtis King, Minister of Education and National Reconciliation and Senator The Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has granted approval of EUR250,840 to the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to finance two (2) projects under the Standby Facility funded by the European Union, namely: “National Standardisation and Certification of Exportable Services Providers, and, Food Safety Certification System for Livestock Production and Trade in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines”. The National Standardisation and Certification of Exportable Services Providers will focus on the services sector development and addresses the certification of individuals and operators in the various areas targeting the Musical performance, Community Cultural Performers, Spa, Household domestics and Security Guards. This project will be implemented by the Ministry of Education.

Senior Public Servants from the Ministry of Education, Foreign Affairs and Agriculture

The second project, Food Safety Certification System for Livestock Production and Trade in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines includes initiatives to enhance capacity to meet international trade Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements. This Project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The objectives of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Single Market and Economy (CSME) Standby Facility for Capacity Building are to:

• Improve Caribbean business ability to access CARIFORUM and EU Markets;
• Improve regulatory environment so that Caribbean businesses are better supported and equipped to access CARIFORUM and EU Markets;
• Enhance technical capacity in both the public and private sector so that they meet the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements of international trade; and
• Create awareness of the opportunities available and project outcomes.

At the launch Senator The Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in giving her welcoming remarks express much appreciation on behalf of the Government and People of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the European Union for their continued support and congratulate the beneficiaries and wish every success in implementing the projects.

Senator the Hon. Keisal Peters, Minister of State with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade giving her welcome address at the launch.

Following the launch of the Standby Facilities, the Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, the Caribbean Development Bank and other stakeholders visited the businesses of several beneficiaries for the projects.

L-R:  Mr. Felipe de la Mota, Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to Barbados, Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM and the OECS, Mrs. Okolo John-Patrick, Director of Trade in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Mr. Miguel Almeyda, Head, Private Sector Division, Caribbean Development Bank, Senator The Hon. Keisal M. Peters, Minister of State with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Curtis King, Minister of Education and National Reconciliation and Mrs. Nerissa Gittens-McMillan, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry , Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour.

More information on the CARIFORUM EPA and CSME Standby Facility is available via the following link: https://www.caribank.org/publications-and-resources/resource-library/brochures/epa-and-csme-standby-facility-brochure

Project Beneficiaries of the EPA and CSME Standby Facility for Capacity Building Projects

SOURCE: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade