Press release 81/2007
(19 April 2007)

Your Excellency Ambassador Jesus Silva, Plenipotentiary Representative (Designate) of the Kingdom of Spain to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
Deputy Secretary-General, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite
Assistant Secretaries-General
Other Members of Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat
Other distinguished Guests
Representatives of the Media

I bid you a hearty welcome, Excellency. This moment has been long in the making; perhaps over many Centuries. Indeed, today, over five centuries after the Americas and Europe made acquaintance; and after a truly colourful historical and human trajectory that saw Spain and the Caribbean at war, at peace, at distance, and now together, in tandem, we reaffirm the bonds of real friendship and mutual respect. Today, these are the bonds that most characterize the CARICOM–Spain relationship as manifested through your accreditation as the first Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Representative of the Kingdom of Spain to the Caribbean Community.

Excellency, knowing your qualifications, experience, spirit, enthusiasm and energy I feel confident that the relationship between Spain and CARICOM is in safe hands. I therefore welcome you most warmly and on behalf of the Community, I accept your credentials most wholeheartedly.

I doubt that there are many in the Community who are unaware of the role Spain has played in the shaping of the Caribbean civilization. Less well known perhaps, is the important role that the Caribbean has played in the development of the Kingdom of Spain. That however is, as they say, old history. The new history of CARICOM-Spain relations dates back to the last decade, during which we have experienced an excitingly high level of cooperation.

In July 1999, as the twentieth century came to an end, Heads of Government of CARICOM met with their Spanish counterpart in Trinidad and Tobago for the first CARICOM-Spain Summit. On that occasion I had the honour of signing on behalf of CARICOM, the “Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation between the Kingdom of Spain and CARICOM”. That agreement has become the backbone of the cooperation enjoyed between the two parties since then. There have been two more CARICOM-Spain summits since - one in 2002 and the other in 2006. A fourth is expected to be held in 2008.

Evidence of the high level of cooperation between Spain and CARICOM is seen in the visits to Spain, by many CARICOM Heads of Government. These include visits by the Prime Ministers of The Bahamas and Belize in 2000; and again by the Prime Minister of Jamaica in 2001. Also, in 2002 CARICOM and Spain held the first meeting of their Joint Committee in Madrid. The second meeting of this Committee was concluded last October and was considered by both sides to have been a resounding success. The programme of cooperation between Spain and CARICOM for the next four years as defined by the joint Committee will include democratic governance; public participation and institutional development; coverage of social needs; promotion of the economic and business activities; the environment; culture, gender and development.

Noteworthy among the many examples so far, of the success of CARICOM-Spain cooperation, is the support which was provided by CARICOM Member States to Spain in its bid to host the World Exposition in Zaragoza, in 2008. The theme chosen by Spain “Water and Sustainable Development” is one which is of vital importance to the CARICOM Region and reflects Spain’s sensitivity to the Region’s needs. Thus far, I’ve been advised thirteen CARICOM Member States have indicated their intention to participate in that three-month event under the Regional Theme: “Water Unites Us“. For each of the approximately ninety days that the Exhibition will run, the Caribbean will showcase its culture and on 12 July the Exhibition will share in CARICOM’s celebration of a single (CARICOM) National Day. The Community therefore expresses its appreciation of Spain’s support in enabling the CARICOM pavilion to be a central focus of the Fair.

More than this, we note with pleasure that apart from the significant Spanish investment already in Tourism in Jamaica, some twenty Spanish firms are due to arrive in Jamaica, next month , to explore additional investment opportunities with Jamaican partners, in areas including energy, construction technology and air transportation. We welcome this latest development as yet another tangible demonstration of Spain’s interest in and commitment to the Region’s development.

Ladies and Gentlemen you can well imagine that much more can be said regarding CARICOM-Spain relations. Quite apart from political agreements and cooperation projects, there are other linkages including, sport, family ties and cultural values - all cementing the friendship between Spain and our Community.

It is against this background therefore, Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, that CARICOM is most pleased to count Spain among its friends and to receive you Ambassador Jesus Silva, as your country’s first Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary Representative to the Caribbean Community.