The draft agenda with proposed keynote speakers and Leads for the various meetings and issues has already been prepared for review by the main organisers of the Conference – the Washington-based CARICOM Caucus of Ambassadors.

The Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), through its Bureau, has responsibility for superintending the three-day conference. As a result, the COFCOR, at its 10th Meeting in Belize on 10-11 May, 2007, will undertake a comprehensive review of the preparations for the Conference now being fine-tuned.

Following the Belize meeting, the COFCOR will submit major issues and recommendations to the Bureau for decision with a view to completing any outstanding issues for the Conference.

The Bureau will then offer the last opportunity for review and fine-tuning at the highest level of the Community, prior to the Conference.

The groundbreaking Conference on the Caribbean is organised mainly to strengthen relations between the US and CARICOM by addressing critical issues relating to CARICOM's future growth and development in priority areas such as competitiveness, trade and investment.

Its three pronged structure will facilitate inter alia Government-to-Government Dialogue, by way of a summit of the CARICOM Heads of Government plus two representatives with US President George Bush at the White House, on June 20 and a Meeting of Foreign Ministers, on June 19, with US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice; Members of the Ways and Means Committee and the Sub-Committee of Western Hemisphere Affairs of the United States Congress.

The Bureau of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community comprises the Chair of CARICOM, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves; the Immediate past Chair, St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas; the incoming CARICOM Chair, Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur and the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community,  H.E. Dr. Edwin Carrington.

Contact piu@caricom.org