Concludes in Havana CARICOM-Cuba Summit V

HAVANA STATEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF THE FIFTH SUMMIT CARICOM-CUBA

We, the Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community and the Republic of Cuba, meeting in Havana, Cuba, on December 8, 2014, during the Fifth Summit CARICOM-Cuba, and in commemoration of the Forty-Second anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the independent states of CARICOM and Cuba and Twelfth anniversary of Cuba-CARICOM Day;

Proud of our shared Caribbean identity and the solid and high level reached by our bilateral political relations, strengthened by the agreements we have signed and in the context of international fora, has allowed us to advance our national development agenda for the welfare of our peoples, based on solidarity and regional cooperation;

Recalling the Declarations of Havana 2002, Bridgetown 2005, Santiago de Cuba and Puerto Spain 2008, 2011, and recognizing his significant contribution to the strengthening of relations between our nations;

Aware of the importance of working together for sustainable development of our countries, allowing us to build more inclusive societies and face our vulnerabilities as small developing states, particularly Small Island Developing States, especially in the economic and environmental fields;

Reiterating the need for concerted efforts to improve productivity, infrastructure, maritime and air connectivity of our countries and expand our economic and trade relations by applying the revised Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement between CARICOM and Cuba;

Recalling the importance of consolidating the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as a mechanism of political and promotion of unity and integration of our region coordination and the importance of their direct efforts to eradicate poverty, hunger and inequality within and between Member States.

We agreed:

1.Reiterar the unity and integration of our Caribbean region is based on respect for the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and international law. Therefore, we are committed to providing our uncompromising commitment to the sovereignty, self-determination, territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of each country and the protection and promotion of all human rights for all.

2.Acoger welcome the results achieved in the periodic meetings of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CARICOM and the Republic of Cuba made so far, who continue to serve as a platform for political engagement. These meetings reinforce the commitment of our political leaders to strengthen ties between our countries.

3.Reafirmar our desire to strengthen South-South cooperation, as an expression of solidarity between our countries, in order to boost bilateral and regional programs and triangular cooperation for development, taking into account the development priorities of our countries .

4.Recognize that cooperation between Cuba and the countries of the Caribbean Community in areas such as health, development of human resources, construction and sport, has contributed effectively to the growth and welfare of our people. In this regard, we express our sincere gratitude to the Government of Cuba for their continued support and for the extension of this goodwill for funding during the next triennium of the Regional School of Arts of the Caribbean in Jamaica, and the Centre for Development Stimulation children, Adolescents and Youth with Special Educational Needs, which will be built in Guyana. Also express our appreciation for the increase in college scholarships for graduate and medical specialization, increasing the admission of patients from CARICOM Member States to receive free medical assistance and training on disaster risk reduction and disaster response.

5.Reiterar our commitment to continue promoting social initiatives and the implementation of projects to improve infrastructure and air and sea connectivity between our countries and expand our economic and trade relations through the implementation of the revised Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation between CARICOM and Cuba.

6.Acoger welcome the progress in negotiations to expand access to markets and improve economic cooperation under the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation, and encourage our employees to continue working with the spirit of solidarity and goodwill has characterized their efforts to date to conclude negotiations by the end of the second quarter of 2015.

7.Subrayar that updating the Cuban economic model, the Law on Foreign Investment and Development Special Zone Mariel, provide additional opportunities, more broadly, to accelerate and strengthen economic ties between CARICOM and Cuba.

8.Reconocer how important it is for Caribbean countries exploit the potential offered by regional and subregional mechanisms such as CELAC, ACS, ALBA-TCP, Petrocaribe and other international mechanisms such as the BRICS group.

9.Reafirmar our solidarity with the Republic of Haiti and reiterate our strong commitment to the recovery efforts after the earthquake of January 12, 2010, in accordance with the priorities set by their government and with full respect for their sovereignty.

10.Confirmar commitments made at the Third International Conference of Small Island Developing States, held in Apia, Samoa, from 1 to 4 September 2014, and the commitments outlined in the Final Document.

11.Confirm also our willingness to work together on a Regional Strategic Agenda to address Disaster Risk Management in a comprehensive manner, taking into account the assessment and disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction, in accordance with Resolution 46/182 of the United Nations General Assembly, in order to face the serious consequences of climate change in our countries.

12.Fortalecer our cooperation to address the negative effects of climate change. In this regard, we reiterate our demand to have a binding agreement to stabilize the increase in global temperature below 2 ° C, taking into account the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and address the needs of our countries meet the challenges of adaptation to the impacts of climate change, in accordance with the UNFCCC and the decisions of the Conference of the Parties.

13.Comprometernos to strengthen cooperation for environmental protection and sustainable use of our resources, including the Caribbean Sea. In that regard, we support the efforts of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) to declare the Caribbean Sea as a Special Area in the context of sustainable development, in the framework of the United Nations.

14.Reafirmar that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and express our deep concern about the continued global growth in emissions of greenhouse gases. We are deeply concerned by the fact that all countries, particularly developing countries, are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change are already experiencing an increase in such effects, including persistent droughts and extreme weather events, increased sea levels, coastal erosion and ocean acidification, which further threatens food security and efforts to eradicate poverty and achieve sustainable development. In this regard, we emphasize that adaptation to climate change poses an immediate and urgent global priority.

15.Recalcar our commitment to combat human trafficking, illicit drug trafficking and illicit trafficking in small arms, taking into account the characteristics, scope and magnitude of these problems in individual states.

16.Desarrollar the cooperation in information technology and communications (ICT) in full conformity with the principles of international law, in order to enhance their contribution to sustainable development in the member countries of CARICOM and Cuba, particularly in the areas of education, health, science and technology, innovation, agriculture and all sectors that are required.

17.Seguir progress in cooperation on food security, as a decisive contribution to the elimination of hunger, poverty and marginalization, not only in the Caribbean, but also globally, by strengthening our coordinated efforts and trade in agricultural technology, nutrition and other sectors that contribute to that end.

18.Acoger welcome the immediate joint actions taken by the ALBA-TCP, Cuba and CARICOM, accompanied by other members of the CELAC, to prevent the spread of the epidemic of Ebola virus in our region and fight if necessary. We undertake to promote and expand this cooperation by adopting preventive measures, training of qualified personnel and the creation of institutions to conduct research on this disease.

19.Reconocer the support and solidarity of the Republic of Cuba to physicians and health personnel dispatched to West African countries affected by the epidemic, and the training of qualified personnel in other African countries, so they can prevent their spread and be prepared to fight.

20.Apoyar efforts to prevent the entry, spread and facilitate treatment of noncommunicable diseases, HIV-AIDS, and other diseases such as dengue and Chikungunya in our countries. We also support projects designed to assist people with different capacities in the region.

21.Exigir immediate end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the government of the United States of America against Cuba and especially its extraterritorial character and persecution of Cuban financial transactions, the severity of which increases daily; the inclusion of Cuba on the list of State Sponsors of established and published unilaterally by the US Department of State Terrorism, and all covert actions carried out by the government of the United States to subvert the law and internal order in the Republic of Cuba, including those involving the illegal use of information technology and communications, which constitute violations of Cuban sovereignty and the right to self-determination of its people.

22.Reafirmar the unequivocal position of the Caribbean Community in favor of Cuba to attend the Seventh Summit of the Americas in Panama, in April 2015, in conditions of sovereign equality and without conditions of any kind, in correspondence with the joint position expressed in different forums throughout the region.

23.Subrayar that the development of the Development Agenda Post-2015 should be a universal, open, transparent and inclusive, based on unconditional respect of the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, and focused on three process pillars of sustainable development: economy, society and environment. In this context, we emphasize that this agenda should address the special needs of small island developing States, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), according to their national laws and development priorities with regard to achieving of sustainable development. The Agenda should also incorporate all the elements that lead to sustainable development, including culture, which should be a cross-cutting theme of the Agenda, for which specific goals should be included in the relevant objectives.

24.Afirmar that even when middle-income countries of the Caribbean region have made significant progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, major challenges remain in our path to development, including those arising from our status small islands and those related to climate change. In this context, we reiterate our call for indicators that reflect more adequately the reality of middle-income countries are taken, and in particular the specific problems of Caribbean States, given that the current criteria relating to average earnings especially the criteria of per capita income indicators do not reflect the multidimensional impact of poverty, inequality and vulnerability.

25.Celebrar with great pleasure the successful outcome of the Second Summit of CELAC in Havana, held on 28 and 29 January 2014, including the Declaration of Havana, the historic proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone Peace, signed by the Heads of State and Government, and Special Statements relating to Small Island Developing States, the issue of reparations for slavery and genocide of native populations and the establishment of China-CELAC.

26.Reafirmar that strengthening the CELAC as a forum for dialogue and international political actor is one of our priorities. In this context, it is crucial to continue strengthening regional integration through political dialogue, cooperation and increased trade between the Caribbean and Latin America. In this regard, we reaffirm the importance of active participation of CARICOM within the CELAC, and support the inclusion of the Presidency of the CARICOM in the Quartet of CELAC.

27.Destacar the importance that the Caribbean Community to repair damage caused by the genocide against the native population and slavery in the Caribbean and their desire to engage in dialogue with European countries repair intimately involved in the genocide against the native population and the possession of slaves, to address the consequences of this crime against humanity;

28.Expresar our gratitude to the Government and people of the Republic of Cuba for the warm welcome and hospitality extended during the Fifth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community and the Republic of Cuba.

29.Celebrar the Sixth Summit CARICOM - Cuba on December 8, 2017, Antigua and Barbuda, and the Fifth Ministerial Meeting in Havana in June 2016.

Tomado de :http://www.cubadebate.cu/