Brazil, CARICOM Hold First
Summit
BRASILIA - Leaders from Brazil and the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Monday held
their first summit in Brasilia to enhance
bilateral ties.
Brazilian President Lula (C) and leaders
from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have
a group photo taken in Brasilia, capital of
Brazil, April 26, 2010.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva hosted heads of state and government
or representatives of the CARICOM countries
at the Itamaraty Palace, the seat of the
Brazilian Foreign Ministry.
At the opening session, CARICOM Secretary
General Edwin Carrington hailed Brazil's
contribution to Caribbean countries,
including its help in fighting HIV/AIDS and
assistance provided before and after the
earthquake in Haiti.
"In the future, this first summit will be
remembered as a historic moment in relations
between Brazil and the Caribbean countries
and in wider south-south relations," said
Carrington.
He noted that Brazil had increased its
assistance since it signed the cooperation
agreement with CARICOM in April 2006.
Since then, the Brazilian government has
provided its Caribbean counterparts access
to cheap drugs for HIV/AIDS and professional
training, which resulted in "considerable
progress in treating the disease" in the
region, the secretary general said.
He also welcomed the presence of Brazilian
diplomatic representations in all the
Caribbean countries and the growing presence
of embassies of these countries in Brasilia,
which should give new impetus to business
ties.
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