Second Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference: The Conference Adopts Document on Partnership and Japan Announces Partnership Programme

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan invited the Ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs and other Heads of Delegations of the Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), comprised of 14 countries in the Caribbean region, to Tokyo and held the Second Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference on September 2.

The following is an outline of the views expressed by Mr. Katsuya Okada, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, on Japan's assistance to CARICOM Member States and issues facing the international community.

- Assistance for the Reconstruction of Haiti

Minister Okada explained that Japan had announced assistance of approximately 100 million US dollars in total and dispatched a Japan Self-Defense Force Engineer Unit of approximately 350 members to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in recognition of the fact that the stability and development in Haiti is essential for the stability of Central and South America, including the Caribbean region. The Minister noted with appreciation that CARICOM as a regional community had responded to the disaster in Haiti in a concerted manner. Minister Okada also requested that the government of Haiti ensure democratic and peaceful presidential elections in November 2010, and expressed Japan's intention of providing any necessary assistance.

- Environment and Climate Change

Minister Okada stated that Japan would continue proactively providing assistance to CARICOM Member States' efforts to cope with climate change. He called for the cooperation of CARICOM Member States for the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16), so that a new, comprehensive legal document could be adopted as early as possible based on the Copenhagen Accord, in order that there be the establishment of a fair and effective international framework in which all major economies participate. The Minister also stated that it was important to advance international efforts to protect biological diversity toward the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10), which is to be held in Japan in October 2010, and expressed Japan's intention to cooperate with CARICOM Member States on this issue.

- Japan's Future Assistance to CARICOM Member States

Reflecting on the past decade of assistance to CARICOM Member States since the First Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference in 2000, Minister Okada explained Japan's future policy for assistance, based on the new pillars of efforts to overcome disaster vulnerability and promote human security in areas such as education, health and medical care, the environment and climate change, and assistance for the reconstruction of Haiti.

The Foreign Ministers adopted the "Partnership for Peace, Development and Prosperity between Japan and the Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)" as the outcome document of the Second Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference. Furthermore, Japan announced the "Japan-CARICOM Partnership Programme" outlining specific assistance measures that it would extend to CARICOM Member States in the next three years or so based on the outcome document. Minister Okada expressed hope for ministerial-level conferences to be held more frequently, which CARICOM Member States welcomed.

The Second Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference proved to be a good opportunity to demonstrate Japan's proactive diplomacy toward the Caribbean region and resulted in further strengthening of the traditionally good Japan-CARICOM relationship. Furthermore, discussions on issues facing the international community, such as the environment and climate change, helped to gain understanding and support for Japan's positions on these topics.