The Caribbean Community and the Government of Cuba (jointly referred to as "The Parties"):

DECLARING their confidence in and support for the goals of the United Nations Organisation which is concerned with the problems affecting the developing countries:

RE-AFFIRMING their support for the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States which was adopted in 1979 at the Thirty-Fourth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations;

AWARE of the social, economic, technological, financial and other constraints which negatively affect the development of Caribbean Countries;

CONVINCED that the general recognition by all nations of a set of basic principles to govern their economic relations would contribute to a just and lasting peace;

CONVINCED of the necessity to promote and encourage the effective exercise of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other fundamental human rights and freedoms which derive from the inherent dignity of the human person and which are essential for the free and full development of the individual;

COMMITTING themselves to respect for the fundamental elements of civil society, such as free elections and functional systems of democratic governance and social and economic justice;

SHARING a common desire for the promotion of economic, cultural and technological co-operation;

RECOGNISING the desirability of establishing closer links among the countries of the Caribbean Region in the search for solutions to their social and economic problems;

DESIROUS of further enhancing relations between the Member States of the Caribbean Community and Cuba;

CONSCIOUS of the need in any scheme of co-operation between the Caribbean Community and Cuba to give special consideration to the needs of the Less Developed Countries of the Caribbean Community in order to accelerate their development and to improve the living conditions of their people;

CONVINCED that effective solutions to their mutual problems would be facilitated by the conduct of systematic studies at the technical level and through closer co-operation in the economic, social and cultural and technological fields,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

ARTICLE I
Establishment of the Caribbean Community - Cuba Joint Commission

The Caribbean Community - Cuba Joint Commission (hereinafter referred to as "the Commission") is hereby established.

ARTICLE II
Composition of the Commission

1 The Commission shall consist of representatives of the Caribbean Community and of the Government of Cuba. 2 In connection with the Work of the Commission -   (a) the Secretariat of the Caribbean Community shall perform administrative, technical and co-ordinating functions on behalf of the Caribbean Community; (b) the Ministry of External Affairs of Cuba will notify the Commission of the Body which shall perform administrative, technical and co-ordinating functions on behalf of the Government of Cuba. 3 The Commission may establish subsidiary bodies with such functions as may be entrusted to them by the Commission.

ARTICLE III
Objectives

1 The objectives of the Commission shall be to promote co-operative relations between the Caribbean Community and Cuba in economic, social, cultural and technological fields. 2 The Members of the Caribbean Community and Cuba will seek a greater understanding of each others views and positions on issues which may arise in the various regional and international forums, in an effort to promote closer relations in economic, social, cultural and technological fields.

ARTICLE IV
Meetings of the Commission

1 The Commission shall meet at least once in every year at such time as may be agreed by the Caribbean Community and the Government of Cuba. 2 Meetings of the Commission shall be held alternately in a CARICOM Member State and Cuba or at such other place as may be agreed between the Caribbean Community and the Government of Cuba. 3 The agenda for each meeting of the Commission shall be settled by representatives of the Caribbean Community and the Government of Cuba at least one month before the meeting. 4 The decisions of the Commission shall have the status of recommendations to the Parties to this Agreement.

ARTICLE V
Entry Into Force

This Agreement shall enter into force immediately upon the Exchange of Letters of Approval of the Agreement by the Parties.

ARTICLE VI
Withdrawal

1 Either Party may withdraw from this Agreement by giving notice in writing to the other Party. Such withdrawal shall take effect 12 months after the notice is received by the other Party. 2 In the event of withdrawal by either Party, both Parties undertake to honour any outstanding obligations.

ARTICLE VII
Inaugural Meeting

The Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of Cuba shall as soon as practicable after the Agreement enters into force make the necessary arrangements for convening the Inaugural Meeting of the Commission.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned Plenipotentiaries attach their signatures.
 

Sgd. Edwin W. Carrington Secretary-General Caribbean Community

Sgd. Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz Minister of External Affairs  Cuba

 DONE AT Georgetown, Guyana on the 13^th day of December one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three.
 

---

A single copy in English and Spanish, both texts being equally authentic.

---