CGCED Meets in Washington

The Caribbean Group for Cooperation in Economic Development (CGCED) will hold its 13th meeting at World Bank headquarters in Washington June 10-14 to discuss public sector modernization, expansion of export services, policies for infrastructure development and health, poverty reduction and the prioritizing of human development.

The Caribbean (excluding Haiti) has averaged a 1 percent yearly growth rate in the 1990s and foreign direct investment has increased in the region, especially in the larger economies. But one of the concerns likely to be voiced at the meeting will be that the North American Free Trade Agreement may have a negative effect on trade between the Caribbean and the United States.

The plenary sessions will be held on June 10-11, while individual country sessions will take place June 11-13. Three separate events involving the private sector will be held in conjunction with the CGCED meeting: the Caribbean Business Forum, organized by the International Finance Corporation and the Caribbean Latin American Action; the Tourism Investment Promotion Conference for the Caribbean Region, organized by the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency; and Information Processing and Services, organized by the World Bank in conjunction with Caribbean promotional agencies.

For more information, call Mario Del Carril (202) 473-6189, fax 522-3698, e-mail mdelcarril@worldbank.org.