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President Thabo Mbeki will pay a State Visit to Jamaica from Sunday, 29 June - 2 July 2003. In addition, President Mbeki will address the Caribbean Community and Community Market (Caricom) Summit. President Mbeki will be accompanied by Ministers of Foreign Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Public Enterprises Jeff Radebe.

During the State Visit President Mbeki will hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart, Prime Minister Patterson, and visit the National Heroes Park where he will lay a wreath and pay homage to Mr Garvey. The President will visit Mandela Park where he will be presented with the freedom of the city. President Mbeki will also host the leader of the Opposition, Mr Seaga, for a courtesy call.

President Mbeki will address Caricom on Wednesday, 2 July. This will be the second time a South African Head of State addresses Caricom with President Nelson Mandela having addressed it in 1998.

During the Caricom meeting, President Mbeki is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings with Heads of State and Government of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Haiti, Guyana, the Bahamas, Belize, St Lucia, St Kitts & Nevis and St Vincent & the Grenadines.

The visit is aimed at:

* Promoting increased bilateral and multilateral interaction with Jamaica and other members of Caricom;
* Enhancing relations with the Diaspora, particularly through the promotion of people to people contacts in sports and culture;
* Determining the role that Jamaica and Caricom can play in promoting NEPAD, as a logical sequence to their role in opposing apartheid;
* Discussing ways of boosting bilateral trade, particularly through the investigation of a preferential trade agreement with Caricom; and
* Advocating increased multilateral co-operation through the promotion of periodic consultations, in particular, ahead of significant international conferences.

Caricom has a particular importance in the attainment of the interest of the South, given its power as a voting block in various multilateral fora - UN, G77, NAM and the Commonwealth.

It would be useful to explore ways of strengthening independent states in both the African and Caricom countries vis-à-vis their developed counterparts, particularly in Europe and North America, since smaller countries' freedom to develop is inhibited by trade and other arrangements imposed by the industrialised North.

BACKGROUND

Jamaica has one of the larger and more diversified economies of the Caribbean, with aluminium, bauxite and tourism having surpassed sugar in importance. In addition, remittances from North America and the United Kingdom have played an increasingly significant role in the economy. The economy is open and import-dependent, particularly on food and fuel. The cost of servicing an expanding public debt (132.8% of GDP at end of March 2002) poses significant fiscal challenges for the Government.

Interestingly, remittances from Jamaicans abroad remain the largest source of net foreign exchange retention for the economy, USD 1.288 billion for 2002. It also overtook tourism as the largest gross earner of foreign currency, or translated to 12,2% of the GDP.

During the period January to December 2002, South Africa exported commodities worth R22 290 846 to Jamaica consisting mainly of machinery and mechanical appliances and transport equipment while South Africa's imports from Jamaica were valued at R59 415 234 consisting out of prepared foodstuffs, beverages and spirits, as well as musical instruments.

HIGH LEVEL VISITS TO JAMAICA

* 1997 - The Minister of Sport, Steve Tshwete and Advocate Mojankunyane Gumbi, presented South Africa's Olympic bid to the Caricom Heads of State Summit in Montego Bay;
* 1998 - Former President Nelson Mandela visited Jamaica and received an honorary doctorate from the University of the West Indies;
* 1999 - President Thabo Mbeki and former Minister Lionel Mtshali visited Jamaica in February 1999 in their former capacities as Deputy President and Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology respectively;
* 2001 - Minister Ben Ngubane visited Jamaica in March 2001 in his capacity as Chairman of the Science and Technology Committee of the Commonwealth;
* 2002 - Minister Dullah Omar, in his capacity as Minister of Transport, led a South African delegation to a Transport Seminar in Grenada and a fact-finding visit to Jamaica during January 2002. The aim of the visit was to explore the establishment of direct aviation and maritime links between South Africa and the Caribbean;
* 2002 - Former Foreign Affairs Director-General Sipho Pityana led a SA delegation to Jamaica during November 2002;
* 2003 - The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Dlamini Zuma, briefly visited Jamaica en route to Haiti during January 2003;
* 2003 - The Director-General of Minerals and Energy, Adv Nogxina, led a South African fact-finding visit to Jamaica during March 2003.

THE HISTORY OF Caricom

The establishment of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) was the result of a 15-year effort to fulfil the hope of regional integration, which was born with the establishment of the British West Indies Federation in 1958.

It was a federal government drawn from 10 member islands. Although a plan for a customs union was drawn up, emphasis was not placed on economic aspects of the federation during the four years of its existence. Economically the region remained as it had been for centuries and not even free trade was introduced between the member countries during this period. The West Indies Federation came to an end in 1962, but its end in many ways must be regarded as the real beginning of what is now the Caribbean Community.

Composition of Caricom

Members - (15) - Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. Note: when Haiti has deposited an appropriate instrument of accession with the Secretary-General, it will become a full member of the Community

Associate members - (3) - Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Observers - (10) - Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Venezuela

ROLE OF Caricom IN THE UN, NAM AND OTHER MULTILATERAL FORA

Regional Groups

Caricom member states represent a strong voting block in the United Nations and NAM and the member countries are courted accordingly. Caricom represents almost half of the members of the regional group known as the Latin American and Caribbean Group, and a constituency with which South Africa has much in common.

Caricom countries are also influential players in the Group of 77 and China, where countries such as Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Trinidad and Tobago are active. In the Caribbean region, Cuba is also a formidable champion of the cause of developing countries, both in the G77 and beyond.

Caricom members also work through the Alliances of Small Island States (AOSIS) in the global conference and through which they exchange information, experience and expertise in the promotion of sustainable development.

Poverty Eradication

Several Caricom member states are also among the least developed countries (LDCs) in the world. Consequently, the importance of achieving developments in these countries is critical to the achievement of poverty eradication. In this respect, Caricom countries have a common position with other members of NAM, the G77 and other LDCs (most of which are in Africa) in international fora.

Small Island Developing States

The active involvement of the Caricom region in the promotion of the interests of developing countries in the United Nations system and NAM has a proud heritage of both leadership and achievement. This is well evidenced by the strong support which Caricom member states lend to supporting the outcome of the Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), held in Barbados (25 April - 6 May 1994) and particularly the Declaration of Barbados and the Programme of Action.

With the onset of globalisation and liberalisation making it increasingly difficult for small island developing states to remain competitive and achieve economic development, the Barbados Programme of Action recognises the special needs of SIDS. The Group of 77, the OAU and South Africa have generally supported efforts at multilateral fora for the economic integration of and comprehensive development objectives of individual Caricom members, and the region as a whole.

Environmental Concerns

Historically, the devastation of the Caribbean region by natural disasters has seen tremendous suffering and destruction. The international community is obliged to recognise that natural disaster reduction and assistance in the wake of natural disasters is a humanitarian concern of the highest order. At the United Nations, Caricom members, Jamaica in particular, have been at the forefront of promoting the development of natural disaster early warning systems and reinforcing the imperative of rapid response to natural disasters by the international community.

Global warming and climatic phenomena such as El Nino pose dangerous threats to Caricom member states. Rising sea levels are not only a danger faced by South Pacific Island States, but actually represent an increasing threat to several Caricom countries, should global warming continue to worsen. In the context of the negotiations of General Assembly resolutions, as well as in the intensive negotiations of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), the Caricom has stood together with other SIDS (Small Island Developing States) in the Pacific to articulate their plight as part of the G77. The successful achievement of negotiating the Kyoto Protocol may not have met the exact demands of SIDS, but their vocal solidarity at the forefront of the debate certainly reinforced the magnitude of the problem and influenced a more sympathetic outcome.

International Seabed Authority

Caricom has encouraged its members to sign and ratify the Implementation Agreement. The inaugural meeting of the International Seabed Authority was held in Kingston, Jamaica, on 16 November 1994. Like South Africa, Caricom supports the evolution and application of the Seabed Authority as a prospect of seabed mining for the future.

International Criminal Court (ICC)

Like South Africa, Caricom supported the early establishment of the ICC to prosecute perpetrators of crimes of genocide and/or crimes against humanity.

Areas of Mutual Interest and Cooperation

Caricom represents fifteen votes in those international fora to which its members belong. Due to the similarities in the constitutional history of South Africa and the Caricom countries, a convergence of interests and ideas, and therefore cooperation and support on a variety of international issues, could reasonably be expected. This applies not only to the United Nations and its various organs, but also to fora such as the Commonwealth and the ACP group of the Lomé Convention. As South Africa is actively pursuing the democratisation of multilateral institutions such as the UN, the support of Caricom in this is important.

Although none of the Caribbean countries currently maintains a diplomatic presence in South Africa, a Caricom delegation has visited South Africa in January 1998 with a view, inter alia, to explore the possibilities of establishing a Caricom resident mission. Other objectives discussed with the delegation included measures such as international agreements to facilitate the movement of people, air services, tourism, trade, shipping and taxation.

PRIORITIES FOR SOUTH AFRICA IN ITS RELATIONS WITH CARICOM AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION

Political

South Africa took the initiative to establish diplomatic relations with all, except one of the Caricom states, since 1994. A Cabinet decision to open a diplomatic mission in the Caribbean (Jamaica) was taken on 18 March 1998.

South Africa and the countries of Caricom share, in many instances, similar levels of development, historical ties, constitutional similarities and positions on issues in multilateral fora.

South Africa strives to establish close cooperation with Caricom in all the multilateral political fora.

Economic

South Africa wishes to establish closer economic relations with this region, specifically in terms of South-South cooperation and developing common perspectives on the Lomé Convention, where the Caribbean region plays a prominent role in the ACP group.

In terms of other regional initiatives, closer cooperation between SADC and Caricom, similar to the EU initiative to establish specific links with SADC, would be advantageous. Mauritius is both a member of SADC and AOSIS (the Association of Small Island States), an organisation within which the Caribbean nations are very active on issues of global warming and climate changes.

RSA/Caricom Trade Profile (January to December 2002 - rand figures)

Country: Antigua & Barbuda
Exports: 4 526 047
Imports: 4 298 374

Country: The Bahamas
Exports: 340 803 640
Imports: 9 054 284

Country: Barbados
Exports: 10 080 409
Imports: 427 887

Country: Belize
Exports: 2 991 088
Imports: 8 056 654

Country: Dominica
Exports: Figures not available
Imports: 4 319 959

Country: Grenada
Exports: 1 467 736
Imports: Figures not available

Country: Guyana
Exports: 2 224 046
Imports: 634 307

Country: Haiti
Exports: 3 176 872
Imports: Figures not available

Country: Jamaica
Exports: 22 290 846
Imports: 59 415 234

Country: Montserrat
Exports: Figures not available
Imports: Figures not available

Country: St Kitts & Nevis
Exports: 233 716
Imports: 880 227

Country: St Lucia
Exports: 3 092 452
Imports: Figures not available

Country: St Vincent and the Grenadines
Exports: 4 330 210
Imports: 3 252 346

Country: Suriname
Exports: 1 869 886
Imports: 62 701 511

Country: Trinidad & Tobago
Exports: 3 094 582
Imports: 34 801 525

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF CARICOM?

The Community has the following objectives:

* improved standards of living and work;
* full employment of labour and other factors of production;
* accelerated, co-ordinated and sustained economic development and convergence;
* expansion of trade and economic relations with third States;
* enhanced levels of international competitiveness;
* organisation for increased production and productivity;
* the achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage and effectiveness of member states in dealing with third States, groups of States and entities of any description;
* enhanced co-ordination of member states' foreign and [foreign] economic policies; and
* enhanced functional co-operation, including - more efficient operation of common services and activities for the benefit of its peoples; accelerated promotion of greater understanding among its peoples and the advancement of their social, cultural and technological development; intensified activities in areas such as health, education, transportation, telecommunications.

HOW DOES CARICOM WORK?

The meetings of the Heads of Government and of the ministerial councils, also known as institutions, represent the main means of achieving consensus on regional issues and policies. The Conference of Heads of Government is the highest decision-making forum and the final authority of the Community. It is made up of the Heads of Government of the member states. Because of the increasing number of issues to be decided and implemented, a subset of the Conference, called the Bureau, was instituted in 1992. The Bureau meets as necessary and reports to the Conference. The Community Council of Ministers is the second highest organ of Caricom, and consists of Ministers responsible for Community Affairs and any other Minister designated by member states in their absolute discretion. The Community Council has primary responsibility for the development of Community strategic planning and co-ordination in the areas of economic integration, functional co-operation and external relations. The Community Council also has the responsibility for establishing a system of regional/national consultations in order to ensure the effectiveness of the decision-making and implementation processes in the Community.

The following Ministerial Councils were also established to streamline the functioning of the Community and increase the smooth functioning of the different sectors:

* The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which has been charged with the responsibility for the promotion of trade and economic development of the Community;
* The Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), which has been charged with responsibility for determining relations between the Community, and international organisations and Third States;
* The Council for Finance and Planning (COFAP), which has been charged with primary responsibility for economic policy coordination and financial and monetary integration of Member States;
* The Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), which is responsible for human and social development in the Community especially in the areas of health, education, labour and industrial relations, youth, women, and sports.

The following Subsidiary Bodies have also been established:

(a) the Legal Affairs Committee composed of Ministers responsible for Legal Affairs and/or Attorneys-General of Member States;
(b) the Committee of Central Bank Governors consisting of the Governors and Heads of Central Banks of Member States or their nominees;
(c) the Budget Committee consisting of senior officials of Member States.

What are associate regional institutions?

These are institutions which enjoy a special relationship with the Community and are so recognised because of the integral role they play in the Region.

WHAT IS THE ORDER OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY?

* It is one of two awards with which the Community recognises and honours the outstanding work done by persons in helping to build the organisation and for the Region;
* The second award is the Caricom Award for Women, and is presented every three years. Through this award, the Caricom Secretariat honours Caribbean women who have contributed to the socio-economic and socio-cultural development of women in the region.

For further information contact: Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853, Bheki Khumalo on 083 256 9133, David Hlabane on 082 561 9428

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs

24 June 2003