The Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region held in Kingston, 15 to 18 January 1990, adopted the SPAW Protocol to the Cartagena Convention, which came into force on 18 June 2000. Article 23 of the SPAW Protocol provided for the convening and functioning of the Meetings of the Parties and called for these ordinary Meetings to be held in conjunction with the Ordinary Meetings of the Parties to the Cartagena Convention