Ambassador Kirk met today with a group of officials from member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), an organization of 14 Caribbean countries and one British Overseas Territory. The group discussed wide range of economic issues, including the operation of U.S. trade preferences for the Caribbean and Central American region, collectively known as the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI). They also discussed ways to strengthen the trade relationship between them.
The total value of U.S. imports from CARICOM member states in 2009 was $7.5 billion. U.S. exports to CARICOM last year were approximately $8.2 billion.
You can find USTR’s 2009 report on the operation of the CBI here.
Ambassador Kirk with leaders of the Caribbean Community
