Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dr Ken Baugh. JIS Photo

In welcoming the meetings, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kenneth Baugh, underscored their importance.

“It is clear that the social and economic well-being of the people of Jamaica, and the region, depend to a large degree on the partnerships we develop with neighbouring economies, and the large market places of the world. Economic growth, job creation and export formation will benefit from economic cooperation and trade promotion activities with these countries,” Baugh said.

He added that, in charting a course for recovery from the economic crisis, cooperation and integration were indispensable.

The Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, will deliver the keynote address at the opening of the CALC Meeting on Friday morning.

The opening ceremony will also include speeches by Baugh, Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Charles Sinclair, and representatives of the administrative Troika of CALC, the Minister of External Affairs of Brazil, Celso Amorim, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Patricia Espinosa Cantellano

Baugh will chair the 34-member CALC meeting, assisted by Ministers Amorim and Espinosa.

Preparatory to the second CALC Summit, next February in Mexico, the meeting will focus on issues pertaining to the integration and development of the region, within the context of global challenges such as the financial recession and the energy, food and environmental crises.

Deliberations will also address implementation of the Salvador Declaration, which emerged at the first Summit of CALC in Bahia, Brazil in December, 2008. The Declaration highlights the importance of regional integration, cooperation, sustainable development, eradication of poverty and the promotion of social justice and democracy.

Foreign Minister Espinosa, colleague Foreign Minister, Chilean Ambassador,  Mariana Fernandez and Under-Secretary in the Dominican Republic Foreign Ministry, Jose Manuel Trullols Yabra, will chair the Rio meeting on Thursday, November 5.

The 24-member Rio Group provides an important mechanism for regional dialogue and political consultations, while seeking to advance integration. The Group’s major focus at its XXVIII meeting will be on matters pertaining to the regional political situation, efforts to expand and strengthen its membership, and the agenda for its Summit in Mexico, proposed for February 2010.

Jamaica’s application for membership, in its own right, is expected to be ratified by the meeting. Jamaica represents CARICOM in the Group. A joint press conference, following the closing ceremony on Friday afternoon, will mark the end of the meetings.

Jamaica and Mexico are also scheduled to sign an Air Services Agreement within the margins of the meetings.