Countries represented in CARIBSAN 2008 were Antigua/Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Kitts/Nevis, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago. Among the many participants to the workshop were Ministers, professionals of institutions of the sector, scholars, members of civil society, non-governmental agencies, donor agencies, development agencies and the private sector.

The access to and the improvement of basic sanitation services, together with the appropriate management of waste water and solid waste, and compliance with good hygiene practices significantly contribute to human well being through the protection of health, environmental conservation, and the reduction of poverty. The participants of the workshop recognized the fact that the majority of the people with no access to an improved sanitation system belong to the poorest and most vulnerable groups of the population, and despite some improvement through work of government, civil society and private sector, much is still to be done in order to achieve the basic sanitation goals.

Taking note that in December 2006 the United Nations General Assembly, concerned by the slow and insufficient progress in achieving the sanitation targets, declared 2008 the International Year of Sanitation, the participating countries affirmed their commitment to achieve the basic sanitation targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the objectives of the International Year of Sanitation, and made a commitment to enhance progress toward the provision of appropriate sanitation systems, based on specific planning.

Sponsors and partners of the workshop included United Nations Department of Economic & Social Affairs; Water and Sanitation Programme - World Bank; Global Water Partnership - Caribbean; Ministry of Water and Housing; Pan American Health Organisation; Water Resources Authority (Jamaica); CAN CARA; and Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.