It is my pleasure, as Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community, to welcome you Ambassador Luigi Maccotta to the Headquarters of the Caribbean Community here in Guyana and to receive your credentials as Italy’s Plenipotentiary Representative to the Caribbean Community.

Ambassador, you follow in the footsteps of a worthy and much appreciated predecessor, Ambassador Gerardo Carante, Italy’s first Plenipotentiary Representative to CARICOM. He has been and will undoubtedly continue to be a true friend to the Caribbean. During his tenure, a tradition of cooperation and friendship has been established, which the Community looks forward to enhancing during your term of office.

We are happy, therefore, to welcome you as Italy’s Representative to CARICOM, secure in the knowledge that with the wide range of experience derived from your service in such places as diverse as Tokyo, Tel Aviv and Sub-Saharan Africa, you bring to the Community, a wealth of experience in the areas of trade, co-operation and development – matters of central interest to CARICOM.

We are cognizant of the fact that the strengthening of relations between nations is often influenced by the persons who represent them, and the Region is therefore honoured to welcome as part of its Diplomatic Community such a distinguished envoy whose credentials augur well for the future of Italy/CARICOM relations.

CARICOM and Italy have enjoyed a positive and amicable relationship dating back to 1988 when Italy became a non-borrowing member of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). During this period of almost two decades, the Community has come to recognize Italy as a valuable technical cooperation partner, lending assistance in a range of areas of vital interest to the Region, including climate change, food security, natural disaster prevention and enhancing capacity in tourism, the mainstay of most of our economies.

The Caribbean Community is particularly appreciative of the co-operation it receives from Italy within international fora on a number of issues of critical importance to CARICOM.

As the Region embarks upon a new relationship with the European Union (EU) within the context of the recently concluded Negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), we look to countries such as Italy to sensitize other Members of the European Community of the challenges that confront these small countries as they seek to adjust to the new reciprocal arrangements inherent in the EPA. In this regard, the importance of the development dimension of the historical EU - CARIFORUM relationship cannot be overly emphasized.

Our Community is heartened that among Italy’s priorities are two sets of issues which are also of critical importance to CARICOM – these relate to Climate Change and economic and social development.

This is why we noted with great interest, Italy’s position on the reduction in green house gas emissions by 2020. This was clearly set out in the statement made by the then Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi at the 62nd General Assembly in September last year. Similarly, it was encouraging to hear the former Prime Minister reiterating Italy’s commitment to development and underscoring the responsibility of the United Nations (UN) to keep development at the top of the international agenda. The Prime Minister had undertaken to make development the centre piece of Italy’s G8 Presidency in 2009. Such a commitment on the part of the development partners is of tremendous importance to the Caribbean and we hope Excellency that the change in Government in Italy, and the retirement of Prime Minister Prodi would not retire that commitment.

You come, Ambassador, at a time when CARICOM and Italy are in the final stages of concluding an Amended Memorandum of Understanding which takes into account and emphasizes the development dimension which is of utmost importance to the countries as they seek to insert themselves into the global economy.

The Caribbean Community is also appreciative of the keen interest and support of Italy and indeed the EU in our efforts at regional integration, as a mechanism for enhancing Caribbean economic development. Indeed, the importance which Italy ascribes to the process of integration in this hemisphere was evidenced in its hosting of the Third International Conference on Latin America and the Caribbean in Italy in September of last year. The Conference sought to strengthen relations with the Region of Latin America and the Caribbean, a priority of the Government of Italy’s Foreign Policy Agenda.

I am happy to say that the degree of collaboration and partnership on areas of mutual interest has been underpinned by a close level of personal interaction between the Secretariat, the Embassy of Italy in Caracas and Officials in Rome.

I expect Your Excellency, that this tradition of close collaboration and good relations will not only continue during your tenure as Ambassador Plenipotentiary to CARICOM, but will no doubt be even more greatly enhanced as you bring your own expertise, experience and special interests to the relationship.

Your Excellency, on behalf of the Governments and people of the Caribbean Community, it is my pleasure to welcome you most warmly to the CARICOM family. Benvenuto!, (Welcome!) May I also take the opportunity to wish you Excellency, BUON COMPLEANNO! (Happy Birthday!) I noted that your birthday is on 19 February and I am pleased that you are here to enjoy it with us.

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org