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GRENADIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PREPARES TO HOST 7TH UK CARIBBEAN FORUM

Grenadian Foreign Minister Hon Karl Hood, on Thursday January 19th 2012, met with the Grenada Delegation to the 7th UK Caribbean Forum, as he prepared to host the deliberations from January 20th – 22nd 2012 in St George’s, Grenada, being held under the theme, “Sustainable Growth Towards Prosperity.”

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Elizabeth Henry-Greenidge, chaired the discussions which focused on specific agenda items and the delegation’s preparedness in this respect.

The forum will be co-chaired by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and COFCOR Chair, Kittitian Foreign Minister Sam Condor. Regional Foreign Ministers as well as Security & Trade Ministers, Officials and business delegations are expected to participate.

This meeting between the 15-member regional bloc founded in the wake of the Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973 and Britain will run through Sunday, Jan.22 under the slogan Sustainable Growth for Prosperity.

The agenda will include discussions on the Environment and Climate Change, Security and Economic Resilience.

On the second day, there will be a meeting for business people accompanying the official delegations aimed at exploring trade and investment opportunities in the United Kingdom.

A cricket game has been scheduled for the closing day, considered of particular importance as the region is trying to promote healthy life styles and prevent non transmissible diseases through sports.

Minister Hood said he was heartened by the excellent response to the invitation and the high number of participants who had registered to attend. He said he looked forward to hosting his colleagues and guests and to a successful outcome.

The UK-Caribbean Forum is a biennial event and the key mechanism for high-level dialogue between the UK and the Caribbean.

The fifth Forum was hosted by the Government of Barbados in 2006 and the sixth by the United Kingdom in 2008.