GEORGETOWN, Guyana:
TRADE AND economic relations as well as South-South cooperation between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Brazil are expected to expand under the stewardship of Arthur Vivacqua Correa Meyer, the Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil to CARICOM.
The career diplomat, who is currently serving as Brazil's ambassador to Guyana, pre-sented his credentials to CARICOM Secretary-General, Edwin Carrington on Wednes-day at the CARICOM Secreta-riat headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.
In welcoming Ambassador Meyer to his new post, the Secretary-General said the Ambassador's appointment attests to the importance which Brazil has assigned to its relations with CARICOM. He observed that Brazil had made tremendous social and economic strides, including the use of ethanol as an alternative source of fuel and its achievements in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
In the context of tackling HIV/AIDS, the Secretary-General noted that the region welcomed Brazil's cooperation with the CARICOM-led Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS. The two sides signed an agreement in May for Brazil's free supply of anti-retroviral drugs for up to 500 persons living with HIV/AIDS in the countries of the Organi-sation of Eastern Caribbean States.
Mr. Carrington also lauded Brazil's leadership role in the UN peace-keeping mission in Haiti, CARICOM's newest member state, whose 'return to constitutional rule', he said, had been welcomed by the Community.
