Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry leads a delegation of businessmen on a Trade Mission to Curaçao during the period November 1 – 4, 2022. The Trade Mission, organized by ExporTT, the National Export Facilitation Organization of Trinidad and Tobago includes members of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association. The delegation comprises eleven (11) companies from the Food and Beverages, Paper and Packaging and ICT sectors, including Angostura Limited, Associated Brands Ltd, Vemco Ltd, Dingole Ltd and John Dickinson & Co. Ltd.
In her comments to participants Minister Gopee-Scoon stated that “Curaçao offers an exciting market for Trinidad and Tobago’s exports and this Mission will lead the engagement between our private sectors in the furtherance of expanding exports to non-traditional markets”. Over the period 2017 – 2021, Trinidad and Tobago generally enjoyed a favourable trade balance with Curaçao with the main exports being margarine, aerated beverages (soft drinks), pre-cooked/packaged cereals and confectionary. The main imports include stone granules, calcium carbonate and medicines.
During the Trade Mission the Honourable Minister of Trade and Industry will also sign a General Framework Agreement for commencement of negotiations of a Partial Scope Trade Agreement with Curaçao. Trinidad and Tobago and Curaçao government officials explored the possibilities of a trade agreement, through a Working Group which was established in 2019 and recently concluded with the recommendation for negotiations. Senator Gopee-Scoon will take the opportunity to engage in discussions with the Curaçao Tourist Board and the Curaçao Investment and Export Promotion Agency.
Curaçao, located off the Venezuelan coast, became a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on October 10, 2010. The island has an approximate population of 152,000, with a nominal GDP of US$ 2.5 billion (2020) and a GDP per capita of US$ 15,846.
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