I am delighted to send my warmest greetings to all participants in the Fourth General Meeting between representatives of the Caribbean Community and the United Nations.

CARICOM is an important contributor to the UN’s work in the Caribbean region. The UN, for its part, remains strongly committed to helping your members address concerns like poverty, drug trafficking, crime and HIV/AIDS. This meeting offers an opportunity to discuss ways to strengthen our cooperation, and to explore other areas of mutual interest.

The stalled Doha negotiations present a particular challenge to our memberships. Today, a free and fair international trading system is an economic necessity. Nothing else has the same potential to advance the cause of development across the globe, and to help lift millions of people, in the Caribbean and beyond, out of grinding poverty.

CARICOM countries have taken bold steps to enhance their trade competitiveness. The launch of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy has been a welcome step towards strengthening Caribbean economies, attracting new investment, and improving domestic capabilities to address pressing social needs. As this initiative moves ahead, the United Nations system will continue to work with you to build up capacity, diversify exports and avoid the perils of protectionism.

More broadly, the UN remains committed to working with you to address the special development needs of Caribbean countries. In particular, we must continue to implement the Barbados Programme of Action, and the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

CARICOM is also working to advance regional security. I particularly welcome your involvement in Haiti’s efforts towards democracy and development. Increased coordination between our organizations can go a long way towards fully addressing many of Haiti’s most pressing needs.

Working together, the United Nations and CARICOM have already achieved a great deal. But we can go even further. In that spirit I wish you a very successful meeting, and look forward to the outcome of your deliberations.