Alliance of Small Island States Workshop on Trade, Sustainable Development and
Small Island Developing States
Jamaica, 12 - 15 December, 2001

Provisional Agenda

Day One: Wednesday, 12 December, 2001
8.00 – 9.00	Registration
9.00 – 9.05	Blessing of the Workshop
9.05 – 9.35	Welcome and opening remarks by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica
9.35 – 9.45	Opening remarks and introduction by H.E. Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Permanent Representative of Samoa to the UN, Chairman of AOSIS
Session 1:	Sustainable development and the trade and environment agenda: (Chair: Ambassador John Ashe) This session will seek to establish the links between trade and sustainable development for SIDS and raise the sustainable development issues that arise from the application of free trade rules to national policies aimed at promoting or regulating those sectors. The perspectives of the public and private sectors will be sought, including that of civil society and NGOs.
9.45 – 10.00	SIDS, sustainable development and trade - an overview and introduction to the issues (Presenter: Mr Charles Arden-Clarke, UNEP).
10.00 – 10.15	Discussions
10.15 - 10.30	Agriculture, natural resources and sustainable development in SIDS (Presenter: Mr Espen Ronneberg)
10.30 – 10.45	Discussions
10.45 – 11.00	***Tea/Coffee Break***
11.00 – 11.15	Tourism and sustainable development in SIDS (Presenter: Ms Paola Deda, CBD)
11.15 – 11.30	Discussions
Session 2:	Preparations for Financing for Development: (Chair: Ambassador John Ashe) This session will focus on the preparatory processes for the International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD), in particular the final preparatory committee meeting from 14-25 January 2002 to be held in New York, and the International Conference to be held from 18-22 March 2002 in Monterey, Mexico. AOSIS member States will need to prepare well for the final preparatory meeting, as well as for Monterey. As part of their preparations, member States will need to analyse their proposed input to the preparatory process, as well as the second draft outcome document to be presented by the Facilitator, Mr Mauricio Escanero of Mexico by mid-December 2001. The current workshop in Montego Bay presents an excellent opportunity for AOSIS member States to discuss these matters
11.30 – 1.00	Presentations by Mr George Talbot, UNDP/FfD Secretariat; Mr Amena Yauvoli, Permanent Mission of Fiji to the Untied Nations; Ms Sonia Carryl-Leonce, Permanent Mission of St. Lucia to the United Nations (to be confirmed). Discussions
1.00 – 2.00	***Lunch***
Session 3:	Regional cooperation on trade, environment and sustainable development: (Chair: Ambassador John Ashe) This session will explore the regional and inter-regional approaches that have been taken or are being considered for the development of common negotiating positions on trade, environment and sustainable development. The session will consider measures taken to implement environmental standards and in internalizing costs. The session will also consider how international and regional organizations can assist SIDS in these endeavors.
2.00 – 2.50	Caribbean region: a) Regional perspective (CARICOM) b) Discussions
2.50 – 3.45	Pacific Region: a) Regional perspective (PIF) b) Framework for the Assessment of Environmental Implications of Trade and Investment in the Development of Pacific Island Countries (SPREP) c) Discussions
3.45 – 4.00	***Tea/Coffee Break***
4.00 – 4.30	Mediterranean Region: a) Representative from Cyprus b) Discussions
4.30 – 6.00	Country perspectives a) Panel of country delegates from AOSIS regions b) Discussions
Day Two: Thursday, 13 December, 2001
Session 4:	Understanding the multilateral trading system: (Chair: Ambassador Ransford Smith) This session will explore the challenges facing SIDS in participating effectively in the WTO system, looking both at negotiation and dispute settlement mechanisms, and the resources available within the system for capacity building. It will also include a discussion on the relationship of the WTO to MEAs and sustainable development, and issues of particular concern to SIDS. The trade measures in specific MEAs will be discussed, as well as the relationship between different MEAs and the WTO. The coordination of trade and sustainable development policy positions for SIDS for more effective participation in international negotiations should also be considered as an overarching issue.
9.00 – 9.30	WTO accession, participation and costs of implementation (Presenter: Mr Jorge Vigano, WTO) Discussions
9.30 – 10.45	The WTO Committee on Trade and Environment (Presenter: Mr JorgeVigano, WTO) Discussions
10.45 – 11.00	***Tea/Coffee Break***
11.00 – 1.00	MEAs and the WTO, trade aspects of the MEAs and relationships of the MEAs to the WTO (Panel: Ms Paola Deda, CBD, and Mr Charles Arden-Clarke, UNEP) Discussions
1.00 – 2.00	***Lunch***
Session 5:	Capacity building needs for trade, environment and sustainable development: (Chair: Ambassador Dr Richard Bernal) This session will explore the possibility of developing an integrated framework of cooperation and capacity building for SIDS on trade, environment and sustainable development across the various MEAs, WTO and ACP-EU agreements.
2.00 – 3.45	Capacity building needs of SIDS for trade and sustainable development (Panel of representatives from SPREP, ECLAC, SIDSNet, SIDS regions and UNCTAD)
3.45 – 4.00	***Tea/Coffee Break***
4.00 – 600	Discussions
Day Three: Friday, 14 December, 2001
Session 6:	Vulnerability and the special concerns of SIDS in the post-Doha landscape: (Chair: TBA) This session will seek to identify SIDS-specific “development dimension” relevant to trade and sustainable development issues that may have been raised at the WTO Ministerial in Doha that will launch the new round of WTO multilateral trade negotiations, as well as within various UNCTAD initiatives. It will also examine the context of the Cotonou Agreement and other regional arrangements, in an effort to identify ways and means of ensuring relevant environmental concerns can be taken into account as part of a “smooth and gradual integration” of SIDS economies into the world economy;
9.00 – 9.45	Design of MEAs and the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism (Presenter: Mr Jake Werksman, FIELD)
9.45 – 10.00	Discussions
10.00 – 10.30	Vulnerability of SIDS, and the need for special considerations for both LDCs and SIDS (Presenter: Prof. Lino Briguglio)
10.30 – 10.45	Discussions
10.45 – 11.00	***Tea/Coffee Break***
11.00 – 11.45	The Outcome of Doha: Implications for small island developing States in the area of trade and environment (Presenter: Ambassador Ransford Smith)
11.45 – 1.00	Discussion and recommendations to international organizations (UNCTAD, WTO, ACP) on the special status of SIDS
1.00 – 2.00	***Lunch***
2.00 - 3.45	SIDS-specific recommendations for a new framework for economic and trade cooperation
3.45 – 4.00	***Tea/Coffee Break***
4.00 – 6.00	Coordination for follow-up
Day Four: Saturday, 15 December, 2001
9.00 – 10.45	(Chair: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni Slade) Recommendations and conclusions - consideration of report of the workshop
10.45 – 11.00	***Tea/Coffee Break***
11.00 – 12.45	Consideration of report of the workshop (continued)
12.45 – 1.00	Closing remarks by the Minister of Land and Environment, Jamaica
1.00 – 2.00	***Lunch***

For questions relating to the workshop please contact Ms. Desna Solofa of the Samoa Mission at desnams@bigplanet.com, or Mr. Espen Ronneberg at the United Nations in New York at ronneberg@un.org.

Copyright ©2000 United Nations SIDS Unit