Pursuant to Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee resolution 73(XXIII), entitled "Support for the role of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Caribbean and enhancing the functions of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee", the second meeting of the Caribbean Development Roundtable was held in Georgetown on 30 May 2012, in collaboration with the Office of the President of Guyana. The roundtable, whose theme was "Macroeconomic policy for structural transformation and social protection in small States", examined how development in small States could be pursued in the post-crisis global economy through greater economic diversification, improved access to finance and strengthened social protection, despite their fiscal constraints.

The roundtable offered a forum for multistakeholder dialogue on the challenges facing the Caribbean, the trade-offs that may be necessary in order to advance medium-term growth and development, and new approaches to meeting these challenges by bringing together policy-makers, private sector and academia. It also explored opportunities for enhanced trade and investment, regional cooperation and integration between the Central American and Caribbean subregions.

The discussion was led by three panels on:

* Small States in the global economy after the crisis--towards a new development path

* Diversifying productive structures and improving access to financing in the Caribbean subregion

* Maintaining social protection in small States in the context of declining public resources and access to finance

Key conclusions and recommendations emanating from the roundtable was presented to the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee for consideration at its twenty-fourth session, Georgetown, 31 May 2012.