BRUSSELS, 10 June 2015 -- Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are attending the II CELAC-EU Summit, the highest level of decision-making and coordination of CELAC-EU cooperation, currently being held in Brussels, capital of Europe.
Eastern Caribbean States Heads of Government are accompanied by Honourable Ministers, Ambassadors and Staff of the ECS Mission.
Prime Ministers meeting in preparatory caucus organised by the ECS Mission in Brussels emphasised the opportunity that the Summit represents to deepen the CELAC-EU relationship and reiterated that "every effort should be made to convey that message to our partners in the EU". The bi-regional Summit between Head of CELAC and the EU and its Member States focuses on issues of major concern to the two regions such as climate change, citizen security, financing for development and international financial services, issues of prime concern to the Eastern Caribbean States. The Summit will adopt a Brussels Declaration and Action Plan negotiated between the two regions, and endorse a Political Declaration that will create the pathway for reflection on the future of the bi-regional relationship.
The Prime Ministers will also seize the opportunity of the presence of their EU counterparts at the subsequent CARIFORUM-EU High Level meeting to impress their concerns regarding the implementation of the European Development Fund (EDF) - funded projects in the Islands and the timely disbursement of these funds to foster real sustainable development, as well as advocate for special consideration to be provided to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) because of their structural and inherent vulnerabilities.
Heads of the Eastern Caribbean also used the Summit as an opportunity to engage in strategic bilateral exchanges on business, investment as well as global political encounters of interest to their respective countries.
The biennial CELAC-EU Summits build on a history of over fifteen years of organised dialogue and cooperation between the two regions. The theme of the Summit is "Shaping our common future: working for prosperous, cohesive and sustainable societies for our citizens". This year's Summit also seeks to give visibility to this partnership that has matured over time and is seeking to redefine itself to become more relevant in a changing world.
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