News Releases

Bolstering Bilateral Ties: Canada-Caribbean Institute Supports Upcoming Canada-CARICOM Summit

For Release Upon Receipt - October 11, 2023

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Wednesday October 11, 2023— The Canada-Caribbean Institute welcomes the first Canada-CARICOM Summit to be held on Canadian soil from October 17 to 19, 2023.

 CARICOM-Canada reciprocal trade is at an all-time high, reaching $1.8 billion in 2022, while bilateral trade in services was $3.9 billion in 2021.  As important trade and development partners, with more than two million Canadians travelling to CARICOM countries annually and over 10,000 students from CARICOM studying in Canada every year, the time is right to strengthen ties and advance shared priorities between the two regions. Therefore, the Canada-Caribbean Institute (CCI) is excited to participate in the upcoming Canada-CARICOM Summit discussions on climate change, financing for Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean, multilateral cooperation, and regional security to advance the “Canada-CARICOM Roadmap for Action”.

 Established in 2020 by founding members, The University of the West Indies (UWI) and Brock University in Canada, the Institute is dedicated to facilitating collaborative academic and research initiatives; faculty, student, and staff exchange programmes; and institutional capacity building in areas of shared interest between Canada and the Caribbean such as socio-economic development, environmental and health promotion, gender studies, and trade and economic policy.

 According to CCI’s Co-Chair and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Affairs at The UWI, Sandrea Maynard, “As a strategic partner for a resilient future in Canada-CARICOM relations, the Institute which is dedicated to connecting scholars from across Canada and the Caribbean to collaborate on vital economic, environmental, and social issues, is well placed to advance the agenda of the Summit. As a first step, the CCI will host a Summit De-brief Panel Discussion to provide a deep dive into the outcomes of the Summit as they align to the CCI’s goals and objectives. The CCI also plans to hold regular panel discussions over the next year leading up to the next Research Symposium.”

 Among CCI’s pivotal achievements since its establishment is the creation of a platform for capacity-building and mentorship through seminars, teaching, and research; hosting of key events including the “Canada-Caribbean Research Symposium”, the “Revitalising Canada-CARICOM Trade and Investments Seminar” and the “Canada-CARICOM: Shaping an Evolving Partnership for Sustainable Development Forum”. The Institute also provided a critical arena for education and research for policy development on the plight of migrant farm workers in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 For further information, visit the: Canada-Caribbean Institute.

 END.

 About The University of the West Indies 

 The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for the past 75 years.

 From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Global Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

 The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

 The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean in the World University Rankings, it is also in the top 25 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University. 

 Learn more at www.uwi.edu  

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