Technicians from the DR and the Caribbean Community (Caricom) are meeting in Santo Domingo this week for the seventh and final round of negotaitions leading to the signing of a free trade agreement between the English-speaking Caribbean and the Dominican Republic. The free trade agreement will create a trading block of 20 million consumers. Frederic Emam-Zade is the country’s leading trade negotiator. The meetings that are taking place 3, 4 and 5 of August precede the signing of a free trade agreement by the President of the Dominican Republic and chiefs of state of Caricom nations during the Summit of Caricom to be held in Santo Domingo, 20-22 August. Other key negotiators for the Dominican Repúblic are Angel Canó (goods), Federico Cuello (services) and Margarita Cedeño (investments). Negotiations leading towards the treaty have taken place in Jamaica, Santo Domingo, Trinidad & Tobago, and British Guyana.
