On 6 March 2023, the CARO Centre held a retrospective to present the results of its activities since it opened on 27 September 2021, together with a preview of future activities.

During the event, the CARO Centre and the ACP Legal association signed a collaboration agreement with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, represented by its Director, Dr Didacus Jules.

This event took place prior to the Regional Cooperation Conference, which brought together representatives of Caribbean regions, territories, States and regional organisations such as CARICOM, the ACS and the OECS for a week of discussion in Guadeloupe.

The retrospective was based around official interventions, discussions with users of the Centre and, following the official presentation by the Administrative Council of the CARO Centre, accounts of the concrete progress that has been achieved.

These included:

• Camille Pelage, Vice President of the Guadeloupe Region, who welcomed the growing importance of the project, which has helped promote the French Caribbean territories in the Caribbean region, and particularly to the member states of the OECS.
• Christophe Louis, elected member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Islands of Guadeloupe, highlighting the positive results of the Centre's activities, and the central role which it now plays in assisting Guadeloupean businesses to expand into the French and foreign Caribbean territories.
• Catherine Sargenti, President of the ACP Legal association, who related the project's history and described how model laws are being drawn up in parallel with the CARO Centre's other activities. A number of model laws are currently under preparation, particularly regarding environmental law.

These accounts were followed by the CARO Centre's Administrative Council presenting the concrete progress made since the start of the project, including:

• Drawing up the Rules of Procedure;
• Creating the Administrative Council;
• Creating a range of services to meet the needs of both companies and institutions;
• Organising various events, in particular the arbitration and mediation training days;
• Establishing various partnerships with the Centre.

Round table discussions were then held to discuss the role of the Centre with (i) companies requiring mediation and arbitration; and (ii) institutions in the context of supporting development projects through the Centre's mediation and expertise services.

The second part of the evening highlighted the CARO Centre's activities in the context of intensified exchanges between the French Caribbean territories and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

To explain the challenges faced by these small territories, both Francis Etienne, the French Ambassador to the Eastern Caribbean States, and Dr Didacus Jules, Director of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, spoke on the future of cooperation in the area. This is not simply about markets to conquer, but of vital issues in terms of health, transport and environmental protection. The support provided by arbitration, mediation or expert information services in constructing a more sustainable Caribbean is clearly understood and encouraged.

Confirming these commitments, a partnership agreement has been signed between the ACP Legal association, the CARO Centre and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, setting out the conditions for providing collaborative support to institutions, and partnership to jurisdictions, projects and companies in the area.

Many thanks, once again, to everyone who helped make this event a success through their continued support since the opening of the Centre.