Implementation of "A New Framework for Japan-CARICOM Cooperation For the Twenty-First Century"

February 2002,

Note: The # mark denotes the projects in "Japan's Cooperation Initiatives For CARICOM" announced by Japan at the 1st Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Meeting held in Tokyo in November, 2000.

1. Partnership for Stability and Development

1-1 Cooperation for Economic and Social Development

Good Governance

(1) Police Administration Seminar
In July 2001, a Police Administration Seminar was held with 12 participants from CARICOM countries. In September 2001, we invited an assistant director general of the Jamaican Police Agency to Japan, and we provided a seminar on Japan's police box system.

(2) In March 2001, Japan organized a training course in Tokyo inviting 18 officials in charge of financial matters to deepen the knowledge of tax havens and money laundering issues.

(3) Cooperation for the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the Development of Human Resources
Cooperation for the CCJ is under review through the Japanese Human Resources Development Fund, which Japan contributes to the UNDP. At present, it is urged that a project document be formulated by the UNDP in consultation with the Guyana Office of the UNDP and the CARICOM Secretariat.

Poverty Reduction

(1) Support for Primary Education

# Improvement of primary education by the dispatch of Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV)
Japan has already dispatched JOCVs to contribute toward upgrading the elementary education program in St. Lucia. Further, as Dominica and St. Vincent have signed E/Ns to dispatch JOCVs, an investigation team for the future dispatch of volunteers will be sent out.

# Support for the Upgrading of Facilities at Elementary Educational Institutions
Since the 1st CARICOM-Japan Ministerial-Level Conference, Japan has provided support for a total of seven projects in CARICOM countries in the upgrading or construction of facilities at elementary educational institutions.

(2) Support for the Economic Independence of People Suffering from Poverty

# In August 2001, Professor Morishima of Nagoya Municipal University along with an expert were sent by the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) to Haiti, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Jamaica to pass on the technique for producing paper from banana tree stems. Products made from banana tree fiber are to be exhibited at the Caribbean Fair in autumn this year.

# Support for the Improvement of the Occupational Skills of Street People
Since the 1st CARICOM-Japan Ministerial-Level Conference, Japan has provided support for a total of five projects in CARICOM countries in improving capacity and environment of street people.

(3) Creation of Employment Opportunities for the Socially Disadvantaged Including Women (gender and development)

Gender Seminar

In July 2002, jointly with the Tokyo Office of the UNIDO, a gender seminar will be held to introduce experience and the current situation in Japan regarding the roles played by female entrepreneurs in the promotion of regional economies and small and mid-sized businesses. Administrative officers from CARICOM countries who are involved in the support of female entrepreneurs and representatives of the female entrepreneur association of each country will be invited to participate.

(4) Primary Health
Since the 1st CARICOM-Japan Ministerial-Level Conference, Japan has provided support for a total of four such projects in CARICOM countries in the improvement of primary health through the construction of clinics or the provision of medical facilities.

(5) Improvement of Access to Drinking Water
Since the 1st CARICOM-Japan Ministerial-Level Conference, Japan has provided support for one project in CARICOM countries in the improvement of access to drinking water through the reinforcement of a network of drinking water.

(6) Improvement of Knowledge and Capability Regarding the Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS and Other Infectious Diseases
# Japan has already approved four projects funded by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security, established by the contribution of Japan, in the scale of 1.2 million dollars announced by "the Japan's Cooperation Initiatives." The projects provide medical facilities, holds workshops to improve the knowledge of HIV/AIDS related NGOs, local communities and doctors, etc.

Environment and Disaster Prevention

(1) In January 2001, Japan invited Dr. Carby, Director-General of Jamaica's Office for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, aiming at enhancing regional capability to prevent disaster and to respond to emergency. Dr. Carby is one of the key persons to coordinate policies among Caribbean countries and strengthen the region's capability to prevent disasters.

# (2) Cooperation for the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA)
In the end of February 2002, Japan sent a team to the CDERA to discuss the implementation of a Project-type Technical Cooperation on the Caribbean Disaster Prevention Management Plan, and an R/D was signed by the CDERA and Japan. Since this project is designed to benefit the entire region as is the case with Japan's cooperation on the CFTDI, the CARICOM countries are expected to actively participate in this project. Japan will also provide 3.01 million US dollar assistance to the CDERA through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security. This assistance will strengthen the region's disaster emergency response and rescue operation capabilities, by expanding storage facilities, supplying emergency relief materials, and reinforcing emergency communication and transportation systems in the region.

# (3) In March 2001, experts on the environmental preservation from CARICOM countries were invited to Japan to undergo training in the operation of a sewage treatment plant.

# (4) From April to September 2001, Japan dispatched a technical expert, Mr. Ono, to the Caribbean Environmental Hygiene Institute (CEHI) to assist strengthening its analytical capabilities for environmental assessments. This technical cooperation is expected to benefit CARICOM member countries in their approach to environmental protection.

# (5) In February 2002, an environmental preservation seminar was held with the purpose of upgrading the environmental administration of CARICOM countries. Eight people from seven countries participated in the seminar.

# (6) In order to contribute to the development of human resources for the prevention of sea pollution, Japan has dispatched an expert to the Oceanography Research Institute, University of West Indies (UWI).

Development of Small and Medium Enterprises

# (1) Japan held a three-week seminar in Tokyo from 25 November 2001, inviting 12 people, to develop small and medium-sized enterprises and to promote trade and investment. The participants visited Japanese companies and local communities with a view to enhancing their capability to develop new industries.

(2) Japan dispatched an expert to the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) to assist CARICOM member countries to make master plans for human resource development and technical and vocational training.

1-2 Cooperation for Integration into the Global Economy

Tourism, Fisheries, and Agriculture

(1) Tourism

(2) Fisheries

(3) Agriculture
Since the 1st Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference, Japan has provided support for a total of five projects in CARICOM countries in improving productivity in this field, in the construction of agricultural schools, in holding seminars on skills to use agricultural equipment and facilities, etc.

Trade and Investment Promotion

# (1) From September to October, Japan dispatched an expert, Mr. Amaya, to several CARICOM countries and held seminars to enhance their knowledge of Japanese markets and other matters related to export to Japan.

# (2) Japan held a three-week seminar in Tokyo from 25 November 2001, inviting 12 people, to develop small and medium-sized enterprises and to promote trade and investment. The participants visited Japanese companies and local communities with a view to enhancing their capability to develop new industries.

# (3) The Caribbean Exhibition will be held in Tokyo from 5 to 8 November, 2002 to promote trade between CARICOM and Japan. Companies interested in trade with CARICOM countries will be invited. The Government of Japan has proposed to the CARICOM Secretariat to allocate part of the governmental contribution to the Japan-CARICOM Friendship and Cooperation Fund for the costs related to participate in the Caribbean Exhibition such as costs to transport Caribbean products.

Information and Communication Technology

# (1) In February 2001, Japan organized a training course in Tokyo inviting 14 officials from CARICOM countries to promote information and communication technologies for the development of the region. It provided a good opportunity to consider how to develop a common software in the region.

# (2) Japan will organize several regional seminars in Caribbean countries, in collaboration with the UNDP, on information and communication technology for policy makers of the CARICOM countries. In these seminars, they will discuss IT development needs, economic and social application of IT, and international cooperation for human resource development in the area of IT. The seminar will be funded by the Japan Fund-in-Trust in the UNDP aimed at the development of IT.

# (3) Japan will provide, through the Japan Fund-in-Trust in the UNESCO, some one-million US dollar assistance to support and improve the regional distance education program of the University of the West Indies, focusing on training of its teaching and other staff on the application of IT to distance education. This regional program may be utilized not only for university education but also for adult and vocational education.

2. Promotion of Mutual Understanding through Dialogues and Exchanges between Japan and CARICOM

2-1 Enhancing Cultural Exchanges

# (1) Japan Week is slated to be held at the Embassies of Japan to Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Haiti around October. It will exhibit Japanese kites and tops, posters, hold Japan film festivals, and hold demonstrations on Japanese flower arrangement, origami (Japanese art of folding paper into various figures), Japanese martial arts.

# (2) From September to November 2002, the Caribbean Fair will be held in Japan. Various events will be held with perspectives of tourism (ex. the World Travel Fair), trade (ex. the Caribbean Exhibition organized by the JETRO and CARICOM), and culture (ex. the Caribbean Music Fair, the Symposium on Caribbean History and Culture, the Caribbean Culture and Art Exhibition).

2-2 Promoting Exchanges of Peoples at Various Levels

(1) Japan has conducted exchanges at different levels, such as experts, policemen, administrative officers, (for environmental preservation, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and tourism), small to medium-sized entrepreneurs, and the JET Program. Japan will continue to promote exchanges in the coming years.

(2) In addition to Jamaica, Barbados was also invited to join the JET Program for the first time from the summer this year. Further, in terms of the participation of other CARICOM countries in the JET Program, if exchanges with Japanese local governments proceed and a request is made by the local governments, more countries will be invited to join the JET Program.

(3) It has been decided that the maximum number of students from the CARICOM countries qualified for the Japanese government scholarship for 2002 will be increased from three to five.

3. Framework and Mechanisms for Dialogue and Communication between Japan and CARICOM

1. Establishment of the Japan-CARICOM Friendship and Cooperation Fund

Japan has decided to make its governmental contribution from the fiscal 2001 budget, amounting 100,000 US dollars to the Japan-CARICOM Friendship and Cooperation Fund to support projects to strengthen friendly and cooperative relations between Japan and the CARICOM countries. Additional donations to the Fund from Japan's private sector have been made. Japan proposed to the CARICOM Secretariat a scheme for the management and operation of the Fund, for which all CARICOM member countries were consulted. The proposal was accepted by CARICOM in November 2001.

2. Construction of the Building of the CARICOM Secretariat

The building of the CARICOM Secretariat will be constructed in cooperation with the Government of Guyana and the Government of Japan.

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