OECS countries look to Argentina for trade, investments

Newly appointed Argentine Ambassador to the OECS, Marcelo Aldo Salviolo, underlined his country’s desire “to consolidate closer links with the Caribbean States.”

CASTRIES, St Lucia, Wednesday January 23, 2013 – The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) says it is seeking to explore opportunities for greater south-south cooperation after establishing diplomatic relationship with Argentina.

OECS Director General Dr. Len Ishmael, speaking at the signing ceremony, said that nine-member sub-regional grouping was also seeking stronger development cooperation ties as well as exploring avenues for trade and investment.

“It is in this context that we seek to tap into the full potential of the OECS-Argentina relationship, a potential which has yet to be unlocked. Indeed, we believe that the transformation of the OECS into an Economic Union has made our region ripe for stronger economic links with Argentina,” he said.

Newly appointed Argentine Ambassador to the OECS, Marcelo Aldo Salviolo, underlined his country’s desire “to consolidate closer links with the Caribbean States.”

He said he hoped his appointment would “help strengthen relations between this prestigious Caribbean Organisation and Argentina, in all possible fields, whether political, trade, technical cooperation, humanitarian assistance or cultural”.

Argentina and the OECS also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that seeks to strengthen and promote cooperation and coordination between them in a number of areas including trade and investment, agriculture and fisheries, health, education and sport, information technology, and tourism, among others.   

Argentina is the 11th country to establish formal diplomatic relations with the OECS that groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla. (CMC) Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)