Multi-million dollar Australian aid for region

“The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) may also benefit from these resources,” a release from the CARICOM Secretariat said. (File photo)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, December 4, 2009 – Australia will make some AUS$60 million (US$55.5 million) available over four years to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for cooperation in a wide range of areas of special mutual interest.

These include climate change, disaster risk reduction and emergency management; regional integration including trade facilitation; education, including in the fields of science and technology, provision of scholarships and training of diplomats; university co-operation; food security and agricultural co-operation; renewable energy, microfinance; border security and sport, youth and culture.

“The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) may also benefit from these resources,” a release from the CARICOM Secretariat said.

The CDF was established for the purpose of providing financial or technical assistance to disadvantaged countries, regions and sectors. However, there have been complaints that members of the 15-member regional bloc have not fully honoured their financial commitments to the Fund.

The assistance from Australia follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two parties by Secretary-General of CARICOM, Edwin Carrington and the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago.

The meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia was one of four bilateral meetings between CARICOM Leaders and other Commonwealth Heads of Government, all of whom are members of the G20.

It was the first formal engagement between the two sides at the level of Heads of Government.