Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 25, 2022 (SKNBS): On November 24, 2022, Minister of International Trade, Industry, Commerce et al., the Right Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas alongside Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Mrs. Jasemin Weekes, attended the OECS Trade Ministers Meeting at the Royalton Hotel in Antigua.
The meeting was held under the theme ‘Consolidating the OECS Economic Union Through Sustainable Trade Capacity Building.’ This is the fourth meeting of the Council of Ministers of Trade.
The meeting was aimed at addressing critical trade issues that confront the sub-region, providing an opportunity for self-assessment and renewing integration efforts.
The main area of discussion was the Implementation of the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union, which addresses subjects including the operationalization of the OECS Customs Union and the Free Circulation of Goods and the Implementation of the Free Trade in Services Regime.
Other areas of discussion included enhancing trade competitiveness, improving OECS Trade and Transport Logistics, the CSME, especially Article 164, and the Post-Cotonou Development Cooperation Programme.
The meeting was highly anticipated among Member States and yielded deep discussions which will chart the way forward for the sub-region as it relates to advancing trade matters outlined in the Revised Treaty of Basseterre.
Participants of this meeting included OECS Ministers, the OECS Commission, and Senior Trade Officials from the respective OECS Ministries of Trade.
The work at the national level on strengthening regional integration continues.