The Secretariat of the United Nations and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat:

RECALLING that the purpose of the United Nations are, Inter alia, to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and to be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends;

BEARING IN MIND that the Charter of the United Nations contemplates the existence of regional arrangements or agencies for dealing for such matters as are appropriate for regional action and other activities consistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations;

CONSIDERING the provisions of the Treaty establishing the Caribbean Community which provide for the furthering of the integration movement through the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy in order to achieve sustained economic development, international competitiveness, coordinated economic and foreign policies, functional cooperation and enhanced trade and economic relations with other countries and to enhance the participation of their peoples, and in particular the critical actors in the private sector and the social partners, in the integration movement;

ACKNOWLEDGING that the Caribbean Community deals at the sub-regional level with activities which are consistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations;

TAKING NOTE of resolutions adopted by the United Nations, in particular resolutions 49/141 and 51/16 and those adopted by the Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, on 4 to 7 July 1994, and Twenty-Second Meeting of the Standing Committee of Ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs (SCMFA), on 13 and 14 May 1996, calling for intensified cooperation between the two Organisations;

DESIROUS of pursuing their efforts towards the achievement of common aims as identified in the present agreement.

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

ARTICLE I

COOPERATION AND CONSULTATIONS
1. The Caribbean Community Secretariat and the Secretariat of the United Nations shall act in close collaboration and hold consultations regularly on matters of common interest.
2. To this end, the Parties shall develop the appropriate framework for such consultations as and when necessary.

ARTICLE II

ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS

1. Subject to the applicable rules of procedure and such decisions as may be taken by its competent bodies concerning the attendance of meetings by observers, the United Nations shall invite the Caribbean Community to be represented at meetings and conferences where observers are allowed, whenever matters of special interest to the Caribbean Community are to be discussed.

2. Subject to the applicable rules of procedure and such decisions as may be taken by its competent bodies concerning the attendance of meetings by observers, the Caribbean Community shall invite the United Nations to be represented at meetings and conferences where observers are allowed, whenever matters of special interest to the United Nations are to be discussed.

ARTICLE III

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION

1. The Secretariat of the United Nations and the Caribbean Community Secretariat agree to exchange information and documentation in the public domain to the fullest extent possible on matters of common interest.

2. Where appropriate and subject to the necessary requirements, information and documentation relating to specific projects and programmes may also be exchanged between the Parties.

ARTICLE IV

STATISTICAL AND LEGAL INFORMATION

1. The United Nations and the Caribbean Community shall, subject to their respective rules andregulations, endeavour to make every effort possible to ensure optimum utilisation of statistical and legal information, and efficient use of their resources to compile, analyse, publish and disseminate such information.

ARTICLE V

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE SECRETARIATS

1. The Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community shall take appropriate measures to ensure effective cooperation and liaison between the Secretariats of the two Organisations.

2. Either Organisation may request the co-operation of the other whenever the latter Organisation is in a position to help develop the former's activities.

3. Each organisation shall endeavour, insofar as possible and in compliance with its constituent instruments and decisions of its competent bodies, to respond favourably to such requests for co-operation in accordance with procedures to be mutually agreed upon.

4. Similarly, insofar as possible, and within the context of their constituent instruments and decisions of their respective competent bodies the two organisations shall assist each other in the conduct of technical studies.

ARTICLE VI

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT

The Secretariat of the United Nations and the Caribbean Community Secretariat shall consult each other regularly on matters relating to the implementation of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VII

SUPPLEMENTARY ARRANGEMENTS

The United Nations and the Caribbean Community may enter into such supplementary arrangements for the purpose of cooperation and coordination as may be found desirable.

ARTICLE VIII

ENTRY INTO FORCE, AMENDMENT AND DURATION

• This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of its signature by the duly authorised representatives of the Secretariat of the United Nations and the Caribbean Community Secretariat

• This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the Parties. Any proposed amendment shall be made in writing to the other Party and shall enter into force after a period of three months following the expression of such consent by the Party

• This Agreement may be terminated by either Party giving six month's written notice to the other party of its intention to do so

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned representatives of the Secretariat of the United Nations and the Caribbean Community Secretariat, have signed the present Agreement in duplicate in the English language.

Signed this 27^th day of May 1997 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

For the Secretariat of the United Nations Secretary-General

For the Caribbean Community Secretariat Edwin W. Carrington Secretary-General