This capacity-building initiative under the National EPA Coordinator Attachment Programme will run from July 21-25 and is organised by the CARIFORUM Directorate within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat. Funded under the 11th European Development Fund Technical Cooperation Facility, it aims to enhance Member States’ capacity to effectively implement the EPA and leverage CARIFORUM’s trade relationship with the European Union.

During the week-long attachment, Mr. Wagner will learn more about the EPA and the operations of the EPA Implementation Unit through engagements with the specialists in Trade in Goods, Investment and Trade in Services and EPA Development Cooperation.

Since its inception in 2024, trade officials from St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Guyana and The Bahamas have participated in the National EPA Coordinator Attachment Programme. Through their attachment, it is hoped that EPA Coordinators will gain exposure to different EPA implementation structures, work plans, challenges, consultative processes, and practices, exchange information on national implementation actions and challenges and explore ways to address these challenges.

It is also anticipated that EPA Coordinators will identify methods to advance EPA implementation, build networks and connections for future collaboration and acquire new insights into problem-solving to enhance EPA implementation.

About The CARIFORUM-EU EPA:

The EPA between CARIFORUM States and the EU and its Member States was signed on October 15, 2008. It aims to liberalise trade between 15 CARIFORUM States and 27 EU countries on a reciprocal but asymmetrical basis.
This comprehensive trade and development agreement covers:

1. Market Access for Industrial and Agricultural products;
2. Services and Investment;
3. Trade-related issues such as competition policy, the environment, transparency in government procurement, innovation and intellectual property, social aspects, and personal data protection;
4. Development cooperation;
5. Legal and institutional issues.

Chair of the Committee, Director General of CARIFORUM, Ms. Alexis Downes-Amsterdam expressed gratitude to the European Commission for its continued support for the CARIFORUM Directorate to deliver important coordination and advisory services to Member States.

Mr. Felipe De la Mota, Team Leader, Regional Cooperation and Trade at the Delegation of the EU to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and CARIFORUM reiterated the EU’s commitment to the successful execution of the Programme.

Since its creation in 1992, CARIFORUM has been mainly supported by the EU. The “Support to CARIFORUM in effective implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA, regional coordination on trade and EU cooperation” Programme maintains that support up to May 2027. It allows CARIFORUM to build on the results obtained under previous programmes, including for the implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA.

The Programme also assists in coordinating the trading and cooperation relationship with the European Union through technical capacity building, improving regional coordination and increasing awareness of the EPA.

Let me acknowledge Senator Janice Allen, representing the Leader of the Opposition,

Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General,

Chief Ministers and Ministers of Government,

Members of the Judiciary,

The newly installed president of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Honourable Mr. Justice Winston Anderson,

Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Representatives of regional and international organizations,

Distinguished delegates,

Specially invited guests,

Members of the media,

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Jamaica!

We are delighted that you have joined us on my assumption of the chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for the remainder of 2025. I thank my colleague and friend, the Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, for ably steering us through the first six months of the year, and she has done so with the fervor, determination, and eloquence for which she is well known and admired.

I want to thank you, Mia, because we started out at the same time. I was a bit worried when you said, ‘young and romantic then,’ and you caught up to say, ‘still young and romantic now,’ so we are still in the same category, but I also thought that you would’ve used another one of Jimmy Cliff’s great songs. Yes, we all can see clearly after the event, after the challenge, and after we have exercised our duties. We all should be aspirational, and we all should hope for the best, and we all should persevere.

Yes, we can get it if we really want it, but upon assuming this role, I’m also cognizant, Mia, as your presentation would’ve alerted us to, there are still many rivers to cross. So, my job will be to get us across those rivers safely and get across as many of them as possible. And don’t worry, you are in safe hands.

I am especially pleased that so many of my colleagues are here in Montego Bay, some of whom were with me in 2018. I’m looking at one of my political fathers, Ralph Gonsalves, but allow me to take time to congratulate my friend, the Honourable John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize, whose government was reelected in March.

Though her delegation is not here, I must congratulate the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, newly elected Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. We also acknowledge the return to office of the Honourable David Burt as Premier of Bermuda and the Honourable Charles Washington Misick as Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands. In her absence, we acknowledge the election of the Honourable Cora Richardson-Hodge, Premier of Anguilla, who is the first woman to serve in this distinguished capacity.

We have some special guests with us, His Excellency Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary-General of the International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL, and we look forward to the fruitful exchanges that we will have with him to further enrich our partnerships at all levels.

I’m also pleased to welcome our special guest, His Excellency Albert Ramdin, a son of CARICOM, and the first from our region to serve as Secretary-General of the Organization of American States, the OAS.

I also wish to acknowledge and once more welcome Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of CARICOM, and her team, with whom I’ll be working even more closely since assuming the chair of the Community. Thank you, Secretary-General, and your team, for your usual support.

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Our theme, “People, Partnership, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Sustainable Future,“ captures the essence of our regional purpose. It reflects a profound truth that security and resilience are not optional. They are foundations for prosperity. People-centred development and strategic partnerships are not merely aspirational; they are essential.

As small states, we are vulnerable not just to global economic shocks and natural hazards, but to being marginalized in a world where power and influence often outweigh genuine need. And that is why we must think strategically, act collaboratively, and remain focused on the values and interests that unite us.

Prime Minister Mottley expressed, as I’ve said quite eloquently, many of the threats that we face, which, as small countries, we grapple with. Oftentimes as leaders, as we contemplate these challenges and we look at our size relative to the rest of the world, it can be daunting. Sometimes we may have the expectation that exceptions will be made for us and that our case will be treated with deference and deferential favour. But I think that as we enter into the new order that seems to be emerging in the world, we must be strategic. We must strengthen our institutions. We must take responsibility for our own destiny because that is the only way we’re going to really get it if we really want it.

It means we must focus on people because human development must be the center of the integration mission. It must be the center of the development mission, ensuring food security, access to decent work, climate protection, and, importantly, opportunities for our youth, who make up 60% of our population. We must focus on people.

We must also focus on partnerships because global progress is built on networks of trust. We need stronger ties within CARICOM and with strategic global partners in Africa, North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East. In the new dispensation, which is emerging, it is clear that the world is not unipolar and that there are opportunities that we must explore. There are gains that we have left on the table unexplored, and as a Community, we must strengthen South-South cooperation. We must strengthen our trade cooperation with Africa, and we must strengthen our internal cooperation. The resources in CARICOM are sufficient for us to provide for the needs of our people. Guyana with energy and land, Suriname with energy and land, Trinidad, and Jamaica with incredible human resources.

What has stopped us for these many years? We have been saying we really want to get it. Did we really want it?

I think that the emerging global situation must now push us to really get it. We can get it because the time to get prosperity for our people is now. But that prosperity must be inclusive. It can’t be for some; it must be for everyone in this region, including our brothers and sisters in Haiti. It must be sustainable, and it must be resilient.

Sustainability and resilience are the two new buzzwords now that every government must focus on, and so it is that the policies that we will pursue in CARICOM, whatever they are, whether they are the institutional structures that we will have to reexamine, the trade policies that we will have to pursue, or the security policies that we will have to pursue, they must be pursued through the lens of sustainability and resilience.

Jamaica will continue to champion initiatives that will make these three pillars—People, Partnerships and Prosperity—not just aspirational, because we have seen leaders come before with these aspirations. We have seen the words expressed before. The problem has always been our ability to be bold enough, strategic enough, systematic enough, and disciplined enough to convert these dreams and aspirations and these words into reality.

 The presence of delegations from 48 countries today is a powerful statement of global confidence in CARICOM and in our shared agenda. We are meeting at a time of intense international activity. In the months ahead, CARICOM will engage the world through the second CARICOM-Africa Summit in Ethiopia and during the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.

As small, vulnerable states, the unavoidable reality of the climate crisis stands as a sobering reminder each year, especially during the annual hurricane season. And as we prepare for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, our call is urgent and clear. The promises of the Paris Agreement must be met both in emissions reductions and access to climate finance at the level and scale required. Our discussions tomorrow will give special attention to COP 30 preparations and climate finance, which remain defining issues for our region’s survival and prosperity.

For others, the issue of climate change may be an academic discussion between scientists trying to determine whether the data set is accurate or whether historically climate has changed over time, and therefore, climate change now is nothing new; it is an academic discourse. But last year, just around this time, Jamaica was staring down the earliest-forming and probably the quickest-forming Category 4 hurricane, which devastated a third of our island. So, for us, climate change is not an academic discussion. Climate change is real.

We live it almost every day, and the impact of this must be understood from the fiscal level and the need for financing, but certainly because of our size. A weather event in Texas, and our sympathies and condolences go out to the people of the United States, particularly the people of Texas, who were impacted by the recent weather events, which resulted in flooding. But the impact of this will have no effect on the overall fiscal situation of the United States. A similar weather event in any of our economies would have a devastating effect, and therefore, we must continue to strongly advocate for climate justice and climate financing. You have my assurance that Jamaica will continue to be a strong advocate for climate justice and climate finance.

Friends, there can be no sustained prosperity without security. A July 2024 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime entitled “Caribbean Gangs: Drugs, Firearms, and Gang Networks in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago” points to a worrying combination of risk factors, including surging drug production in South America, the proliferation and competition of transnational and local gangs, and the high availability and use of firearms that have contributed to soaring homicide rates. If the situation in Haiti is an indicator, these are not ordinary times, and they require urgent action. We must dismantle the influence of gangs in our communities, disrupt their financing, and cut off access to weapons.

I am on record as saying that we need to launch a war on gangs of a similar magnitude and nature to the war on terror. Aside from the climate threat, the threat that is most likely to have an existential threat in the near term for many of our states would be the growth of gangs. Many Caribbean states, by virtue of our history and the kind of civilization that we wish to develop, would seem to categorize gangs as a social problem, a problem caused by alienation of youth, poverty, and breakdown in social mores and values, and therefore the policy response should be a social response, one that treats crime and violence as a public health crisis, and this is so. There is no question that it is a social problem why 90% of persons involved in crime are males, and speaking for Jamaica, 90% of victims of homicides are males. So yes, there is that strong social component. But I believe our society and the way in which we think about crime and violence need to evolve to accept and understand the evolved nature of the challenge we face.

And the truth is that what we are now facing is the organization of violence. It is the organization of violence for profit. It is not merely street-level dispossessed or socially excluded youngsters. There is a level of intelligence, a level of resources, and a level of organization that has been brought to crime, and violence is being used to support a profit motive. And my own view is that policy and jurisprudence need to evolve to address this matter. As I said, the situation in Haiti is only an example that we should look at very carefully.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Expo, which you can view just outside this room in a couple of minutes from now, is intended to spotlight our shared commitment to building a safer, more resilient region by exchanging ideas, innovations, and best practices. It is also an opportunity for you to see how the significant investments made by the Government of Jamaica in national security over the past nine years are yielding results in crime reduction and public safety.

I just want to say here that the scale and magnitude of the problem (crime), which is being faced by almost all member countries of CARICOM, cannot be addressed overnight. It took 40 years for the problem to emerge to where it is, and it will not be solved by short-term measures. It will require significant investment, but it will also require unified public support. As we observe the challenges in several of our member states and we see the rising homicide rates, we also see political dissonance, and so it is absolutely important that we come together as a region so that our individual publics can see and appreciate that they are not alone in this problem, that the gangs in Jamaica likely have a connection with gangs in St. Lucia, in Trinidad, in Haiti, or in the Bahamas, and that there needs to be joint, coordinated action from the regional level. And I believe, from what I have seen and experienced in working with my colleagues, that there is a strong appetite for regional cooperation to treat the security matters that are affecting our individual countries. And as chairman, you have my assurance that the matter of security, regionally and in terms of individual countries, will be a matter of great priority under my chairmanship.

The 49th Regular Meeting will also provide another critical platform for dialogue on the situation in Haiti. We remain committed to advancing solutions that promote peace, stability, and development for our sister nation and, by extension, the wider Community. Jamaica was one of the first countries to give a commitment that we would support Haiti with security personnel and to raise the call for support for Haiti. As Mia had pointed out, the appetite to support Haiti seemed to have been lost. The international momentum in support of Haiti seemed to have slowed. We cannot be true to our principles in CARICOM if we do not redouble our efforts in the international community to garner support for the mission in Haiti. We cannot leave our brothers and sisters in Haiti at the mercy of gangs. Haiti and the mobilization of international support for the security efforts in Haiti will be another area of significant effort and priority for CARICOM under my chairmanship.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, while not on the agenda, it is important that we take note of the outcome of last week’s Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), as stated in the Sevilla Commitment. Chief among these are the actions needed to close the $4 trillion SDG financing gap and advance a multilateral ecosystem that is more inclusive, representative, equitable, and effective.

Importantly, the conference secured reaffirmation of the special circumstances of Small Island Developing States and the ABAS agenda. Jamaica will continue to use our co-chairmanship of the UN Secretary-General’s SDGs Stimulus Group and the Group of Friends of SDG Financing at the UN for advocacy to ensure that the commitments made are not mere words on paper but translate into tangible outcomes for the benefit of future generations of the citizens of CARICOM.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, since its inception, the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) has been acknowledged as holding seeds of great potential, yet many aspects of operationalization continue to elude us, including that of free movement. As the world presses us to strengthen our collective self-sufficiency, we can feel encouraged that 2025 has already marked a turning point with the completion of the signature by participating member states of the Protocol of Enhanced Cooperation. This development represents a timely and valuable opportunity to accelerate the efforts of countries. I look forward to our discussions in this context.

Jamaica recently became the eighth country to have participated in national consultations on the implementation of CSME initiatives with the active support of the CARICOM Secretariat. These broad-based engagements across the region are designed to deepen stakeholder understanding of the CSME and to showcase the concrete benefits it offers. They represent an important step towards building broader public support and strengthening confidence in the integration process. We commend the secretariat on its selection and appointment of CSME youth ambassadors who will also be engaged in this process.

As CARICOM leads external trade negotiations, I will continue to work with my colleagues to facilitate reasonable and balanced recommendations on how we can best navigate certain dynamics, ensure that our voices are heard in all relevant fora, and ensure that our perspectives advance the objectives of a free, transparent, rules-based, inclusive, and equitable multilateral trading system. Our heads subcommittee for this area convenes again this week, and we’ll report back to the plenary.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, this conference will address a wide range of human and social development issues, telecommunications, transport, industrial growth, and demographic shifts. Alongside these functional priorities, it is clear that key institutional aspects of our regional movement now require renewed focus as we strive to strengthen both internal coordination and external partnerships.

Allow me to say a few words about youth engagement because I am resolute in my belief that young people must have a voice in shaping the decisions that affect their future. Youth across the region have thoughts and ideas about what we are trying to put in place for them and future generations. As key drivers and consumers of technological advancement, they hold immense potential to contribute meaningfully to our development goals. It is important that we engage them in a deliberate, sustained, and meaningful way. Let this meeting send a clear signal that we believe in our youth, we include them in the decision-making process for their future, and their inclusion is not just symbolic but real.

And as we’re talking about youth, who are oftentimes the main consumers of technology, social media, and artificial intelligence, I’m very happy that Mia has raised this issue publicly, as we have internally and within our own countries and Cabinets discussed the impact of how our culture, the essence of who we are, is being changed in dramatic ways that are having a significant negative impact on our societies. This is not a call to regulate, to restrict, or to censor, but I believe that if we are not careful, the Caribbean civilization, quoting Mia’s characterization of who we are and what we’re trying to build, could easily evaporate. And so, as we talk about our youth, we must include them in a discussion about how we preserve our culture, our values, our mores, and how we preserve the Caribbean people.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it would be difficult to speak about our priorities as a region without acknowledging the broader global context in which we operate. From the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to the escalating tensions in the Middle East, to the prolonged war in Ukraine, and underreported conflicts in Africa, each speaks to a more divided and fragile world. These realities affect us through energy prices, food insecurity, migration, and more. In this moment, we must be resolute in preserving CARICOM as a zone of peace and reaffirm our commitments to working with the international community to promote de-escalation, uphold diplomacy, and pursue lasting solutions grounded in dialogue and mutual respect. We have a lot of ground to cover over the next few days. Hopefully, we’ll cross some of the rivers that I have outlined, but certainly we will prepare the next generation to be able to cross those rivers. We will get it because we really want it.

So, as I conclude, I draw inspiration from the words of The Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica’s first national hero, who urged us to take advantage of every opportunity and, where there is none, make it ourselves.

And in the spirit of possibility, we are reminded by the great Sir Derek Walcott that there is always more to see. Let us therefore move forward with clarity, with a sense of optimism that yes, we can get it, but also with a deep sense of purpose and understanding of what the realities we face are, with no expectations of favours from the world. We are independent, we are strong, and we have what it takes to fulfil the CARICOM dream of prosperity for all our people. Let us reignite and reaffirm our unity as one Caribbean people with purpose and pride. We will get it because we really want it, and it’s now clearer for us to cross all the rivers that are there.

God bless you and thank you.

“Together, we have nurtured a strong Caribbean identity that transcends borders, that is admired globally, and to which others aspire. As we begin our deliberations for this Forty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference, I encourage of us  to retain our focus on the purpose of our partnership, which is the prosperity, security and well-being of all the people of our Region.”

Monday 7 July 2025 (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown):  The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) officially commenced the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Sunday, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to regional cooperation, integration, and sustainable development. The Meeting is being held under the theme “People, Partnerships, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Prosperous Future.”

Delivering remarks at the Opening Ceremony, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett extended gratitude to Dr The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Jamaica, and the Government and People of Jamaica for the warm hospitality and for providing an environment conducive to productive deliberations.

“Jamaica features highly in CARICOM’s history,” stated Dr Barnett “This ‘Land of Wood and Water’ was one of the first four nations to signal its commitment to our integration movement by signing the Original Treaty of Chaguaramas in 1973. The Rose Hall Declaration, which aimed to deepen integration and strengthen governance in CARICOM, was adopted here at the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in July 2003. Several other pivotal Regular Meetings of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government have also been hosted here.”

Reflecting on over 50 years of regional integration, the Secretary-General acknowledged both the accomplishments and the persistent implementation challenges, particularly in relation to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

“The CARICOM Single Market and Economy, which is designed to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, finances and people, in the interest of increased economic and market efficiency, continues to fall behind expectations. We hope that this Meeting will see a recommitment to strengthening the implementation of the CSME, with a view to ensuring that all aspects of the regimes can be evenly and effectively implemented across the Region, as intended by the framers of theTreaty.”

The CARICOM Secretary-General concluded with a call to action rooted in shared values and mutual responsibility.

“As much as we remain committed to the aims and objectives set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, we must also remain cognisant that moving forward is more difficult for some of us. In the spirit of family, we should seek to address the concerns of all if we are to be a Community that benefits everyone in the Region. As several of our regional statesmen have been known to say, “If CARICOM did not exist, we would have to invent it”.

She added, “And, to borrow from one of Jamaica’s national icons, Honourable Robert Nesta Marley, our guiding principle must continue to be “one love, one heart, one destiny.”

As the Meeting proceeds, CARICOM Heads of Government are expected to engage in substantive discussions and adopt decisions that further the prosperity, security, and sustainable development of the Caribbean Community.

Gratitude to Outgoing CARICOM Chair  

The Secretary-General gave special recognition to the Outgoing Chair of the Conference, the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados, for her strategic leadership over the past six months amid evolving geopolitical challenges.

“As we grappled with worrying geopolitical issues over the last six months, CARICOM has been led with decisiveness and foresight by the Outgoing Chair, Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. Prime Minister Mottley, we thank you for your dedication to amplifying the Region’s voice on important issues and to its economic advancement, including through your leadership of the ongoing initiatives to strengthen the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).”

Leaders welcomed to the Conference

Prime Minister Holness was formally welcomed as the Incoming Chair of the Conference. Dr Barnett underscored that as CARICOM’s Lead Head for External Trade Negotiations, he is well-positioned to guide the Community through the complexities of global commerce. His efforts in supporting stability in Haiti were also acknowledged as exemplary of Jamaica’s leadership role in regional affairs.

The CARICOM Secretary-General highlighted that the Meeting also marked the return of several leaders who were re-elected: Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago; Honourable John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize; His Excellency Gilmar Pisas, Prime Minister of Curaçao. She also recognized newly-elected leaders: Honourable Cora Richardson-Hodge, Premier of Anguilla (the first woman to hold this position) and Honourable Andre Ebanks, Premier of the Cayman Islands

CCJ President

She highlighted the inauguration of Honourable Mr Justice Winston Anderson of Jamaica as President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and noted that his elevation was warmly received as a moment of pride for the Region.

“We look forward to the benefit of your experience, intellect and well-known dedication to the rule of law, as we collectively seek to deliver enhanced frameworks for justice within the Community.”

18^th CARICOM Road Race

The recently concluded 18^th CARICOM Road Race was cited by Dr Barnett as a symbol of Caribbean unity in practice, encouraging healthy lifestyles and advancing the Region’s global advocacy on non-communicable diseases. She shared that CARICOM leaders also reaffirmed support for regional participation in the upcoming Fourth High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

About the Meeting

Jamaica is hosting the Forty-ninth (49th) Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from 6-8 July in Montego Bay, under the chairmanship of Dr The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, Chair, CARICOM and Prime Minister of Jamaica.

The Meeting is being held under the theme “People, Partnerships, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Prosperous Future.”

Read more about the Meeting here: https://caricom.org/49hgc/

She recalled a 2011 Memorandum of Understanding that established the CARICOM-Türkiye Consultation and Cooperation Mechanism, and led to fruitful discussions, including Türkiye’s participation in the 2014 Inter-Sessional Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and a Ministerial-level meeting in Istanbul.

Highlighting Türkiye’s support over the period, Dr Barnett highlighted its contributions to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the Caribbean Development Fund (CDF), as well as scholarships which enhance regional capacity-building.

She said that internationally, CARICOM and Türkiye share a common stance on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, advocating for an end to hostilities, immediate humanitarian assistance, and a two-state solution for lasting peace.

“Our shared dedication to multilateralism and international law provides a strong foundation for common positions on critical global issues, including climate change and United Nations Security Council reform,” Dr. Barnett stated.

Acknowledging the critical nature of the multifaceted crisis in Haiti, she called on Türkiye to echo CARICOM’s call for the international community to “remain engaged and contribute to the process of restoring stability.”

Dr. Barnett also urged Türkiye to collaborate with CARICOM on climate change, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and climate financing, advocating for greater international urgency on these issues.

Ambassador Şanli said that Türkiye values the Region as an important place, describing the Community as “the voice of global conscience.”

Despite geographical differences, she said both CARICOM and Türkiye share common challenges like natural disasters and climate change, which are priority areas where they can enhance cooperation. Noting that humanitarian diplomacy is central to Türkiye’s foreign policy, Ambassador Şanli said it provided financial assistance after Hurricane Beryl.

The Ambassador said that Türkiye is also interested in enhancing trade and investments with CARICOM, stating,

“We are willing to start free trade negotiations with CARICOM. In this context, the private sector driven Foreign Economic Relations Board DEİK has established an exclusive Trade Council for the Caribbean.”

2. The Summit provided a platform for dialogue on global and regional issues, facilitating increased coordinated action in international organizations and promoting regional integration. Above all, it represented an opportunity for the development of stronger cooperation between Brazil and countries of the Caribbean.

3.1n this regard, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as the primary political consultation mechanism that brings together all the countries of the region. We are determined to advance the process of regional integration, promoting the unity and diversity of our peoples, with the aim of strengthening Latin America and the Caribbean as a community of sovereign nations. We are committed to building consensus on issues of common interest, contributing to the well-being and sustainable development of the region, and maintaining Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

4.We emphasize the crucial role of regional financial institutions, such as the Caribbean Development Bank, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), and the Inter-American Development Bank, in promoting integration through different projects and programs in a wide range of sectors.

5.The Brazil-Caribbean Summit took place at a complex geopolitical juncture and enabled fruitful discussions on food security and nutrition, including water management; climate change; energy transition; disaster risk management; and connectivity; among other pressing issues.

Food security and nutrition, including water management

6.We express our commitment to deepen our cooperation on food security and nutrition, including water management, based on solidarity, mutual learning, shared experiences and the principles of South-South and trilateral cooperation.

7. We underscore the need to promote enhanced food security and nutrition by diversifying the suppliers of agricultural products and by providing more affordable food for our populations. In this regard, we agree to take steps to safeguard market access to key trading partners, while upholding the principles of free and fair trade.

8. We recognize the vital role played by fisherfolk, smallholder and family farmers — in particular rural women and youth — in ensuring global food security and nutrition, and underscore the need to transform agrifood systems to become more resilient, socially inclusive, and sustainable, while promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

9.We highlight the vital role of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in achieving food security and nutrition in Brazil and countries of the Caribbean, while supporting the livelihoods of millions. We recognize aquatic food systems as engines for inclusive growth, climate resilience, and poverty reduction and express our commitment to enhancing sustainability and maximizing the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to employment, economic diversification, and ecosystem restoration.

10.We reaffirm the importance of working together to advance food security and nutrition in our regions, including through mechanisms such as the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty and the CARICOM Agrifood Systems Agenda, as well as to deliver concrete and measurable results. This includes efforts to improve access to development financing and to strengthen cooperation in areas such as cash transfer programs, school feeding, water management, among others.

11.We acknowledge the converging priorities between the CELAC Plan for Food and Nutrition Security and the Eradication of Hunger 2030 and the aforementioned mechanisms, and emphasize the need, as appropriate, to enhance synergies between these initiatives to contribute to implementing effective policies in the region, with a view to reversing recent setbacks, accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 1 (no poverty) and SDG 2 (zero hunger).

12.We recognize the potential of the Sustainable School Feeding Network for improving school feeding programs and policies in the region, strengthening sustainable food systems, combating food insecurity and promoting human development. Countries of the Caribbean that have not yet joined the Network are encouraged to do so.

13.We call for increased collaboration on expanding institutional food procurement programs, national school feeding schemes, technical support to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture activities, and public policies to promote smallholder, family farming and rural development.

14.We encourage greater investment in regional integration efforts, particularly in infrastructure for food production, food reserves, processing and distribution, equitable access to climate finance, technologies and capacity-building programs.

15. We encourage enhanced efforts to strengthen the region’s food storage capacity as a means of reducing vulnerability to external shocks. We further encourage greater political will and increased financing to support these efforts, which align closely with the FAO Strategic Framework 2022—2031.

16.We also encourage cooperation between Brazil and countries of the Caribbean on initiatives in the area of sustainable water management, including through the exchange of best practices, taking into account national legislation and contexts. We also recognize the importance of cooperation between Brazil and countries of the Caribbean with respect to the modernization of water management policies to effectively address the current challenges confronting the water sector, recalling that water is essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda. We are open to promoting actions related to SDG 6, particularly in projects focused on clean water and sanitation.

Climate change

17. We recognize that climate change represents one of the greatest challenges of our time that must be addressed as a priority, and we urge the international community to unite efforts to tackle global warming, as well as to ensure the protection of all ecosystems, including oceans and seas.

18.We reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and to broadening, deepening and diversifying coordinated efforts towards strengthened and effective global governance for the implementation of the principles and goals enshrined under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and its Paris Agreement.

19. We commit to accelerate climate action in this critical decade on the basis of the best available science, reflecting equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in light of different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.

20. We also reaffirm the pursuit of “Mission 1.5” to significantly enhance international cooperation and the international enabling environment to strengthening action and implementation over this critical decade and keeping the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 o c above its pre-industrial level within reach.

21.We recognize the specific needs and special circumstances of developing country Parties, especially those that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the region, as provided for in the UNFCCC and the Paris
Agreement thereunder.

22.We emphasize that finance, capacity-building, technology transfer and innovation are critical enablers of climate action and underscore the importance of urgent delivery of means of implementation by developed countries for developing country Parties, reaffirming the support to the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies guidance, in consultation with Parties, towards the “Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T” to scale up needed climate finance to developing country Parties.

23. We commit to help create and deliver a full menu of financing options to accelerate private and public investment through, inter alia, results-based payments, concessional finance, as well as enhancing cooperation through high integrity carbon markets, as appropriate, in line with the multilateral agreements and the different national priorities and circumstances. In this context, we look forward to the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, an innovative and large-scale incentive for developing countries to conserve and restore their rainforests.

24.We recognize the potential of a technical cooperation project related to climate change mitigation within the framework of Brazil’s trilateral SouthSouth cooperation programs, to address a specific demand from the Caribbean countries. This project aims at customizing, for countries of the Caribbean, the Brazil Data Cube platform to generate remote sensing imagery data cubes, enabling the analysis of time series of images for monitoring ocean encroachment in nearshore and coastal areas using artificial intelligence. The technical expertise will be provided by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research.

Energy transition

25. We recognize the urgent need for advancing clean, sustainable, just, affordable and inclusive energy transitions, through various pathways in light of different national circumstances, for contributing towards achieving our sustainable development goals as well as net-zero greenhouse gas emission by or around mid-century, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, taking into account the relevant decisions, including the outcome of the Global Stocktake at COP28.

26.We recall the importance of energy security and the need to increase energy access and affordability to our populations, especially those most vulnerable, such as SIDS.

27.We underscore the need to catalyze and scale up investment and the provision of resources from multiple financial sources and channels for bridging the funding gap for energy transitions and reaffirm that developing countries need to be supported in their transitions, in accordance with relevant provisions under the UNFCCC.

28.We acknowledge the important role of domestic energy planning, capacity building, policy strategies and frameworks, as well as cooperation between different levels of government, in creating enabling environments to attract financing for energy transitions. In this context, we note the creation of the Global Coalition for Energy Planning, whose first summit took place earlier this month in Rio de Janeiro, and its goal to support domestic energy planning capabilities.

29. We underscore the crucial role of technologically neutral, integrated, and inclusive approaches to develop and deploy a variety of low-emitting energies, sustainable fuels and technologies, including for abatement and removal, carbon management, and emission reduction, with a view to creating scale and global markets to accelerate energy transitions, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors. We encourage, as appropriate, the use of mutually recognized methodologies and standards for assessing greenhouse gas emissions. We also emphasize the importance of financing and facilitating the transfer of these technologies to developing countries.

Disaster risk management

30.We commit to increase cooperation on comprehensive disaster risk management, including fire-related disasters, through the exchange of knowledge, technologies and resources, and the development of early warning systems, to increase the resilience of communities and guarantee the protection of the environment and the safety of populations.

31.We stress the importance of regional cooperation in disaster risk management, placing special emphasis on SIDS of the Caribbean, which suffer the greatest proportion of the impacts of the climate crisis, coordinating existing convergences in different regional and sub-regional organizations, including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), in an effort to take advantage of the potential of each one. Likewise, we express our willingness to work together to promote disaster risk management on a regional scale.

32.We note the importance of the CELAC Fund for Climate Adaptation and Comprehensive Response to Natural Disasters (FACRID), taking into account the serious impact of climate change and the effects and aiming at implementing projects for prevention and disaster response in the region.

Connectivity

33.We express interest in strengthening existing partnerships and exploring new opportunities towards comprehensive cooperation and closer economic partnership to facilitate trade, tourism, investment, connectivity as well as people-to-people contacts.

34. We acknowledge the Brazilian government’s “Integration Routes” project and, in particular, the one concerning Brazil’s Northern Region, which aims to improve transportation infrastructure and physical connectivity, with possible positive repercussions in terms of increased trade with the Caribbean.
35.We note that some participant countries to the Brazil-Caribbean Summit are in the process of signing open skies bilateral agreements and hope that this institutional framework may encourage companies to explore nontraditional routes and improve air connectivity, promoting tourism and business ties.

Other issues

36.We express our grave concern over the multidimensional crisis that affects Haiti and the ongoing deterioration of its security, humanitarian, and economic situation, where the population continues to suffer the consequences of extreme and persistent violence perpetrated by heavily armed criminal gangs. We take note of the proposal of United Nations Secretary-General on the possible role the UN could play in Haiti, presented to the Security Council on 24 February 2025. We reaffirm our support to the
national, regional and international efforts to find pacific, inclusive and sustainable solutions to the crisis, convinced that any solution to the current crisis must be Haitian-led, and call for the UN to have a leading and central role in the response to the pressing security challenges facing Haiti. We call on the international community to support the Haitian interim government’s endeavors to dismantle the gangs, put in place the foundations for longlasting social and economic development, and hold elections, as soon as security conditions permit.

37.We are equally concerned about the increasing measures against Cuba and underline the need to put an end to the unjust economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America. We reject the arbitrary and unjustified re-inclusion of Cuba on the unilateral list of state sponsors of terrorism and express our call for Cuba to be immediately removed from this list.

38. We recognize that the massive influx of sargassum has caused significant damage and high costs to the tourism and fishing sectors, harmed coastal ecosystems, affected energy systems, and poses a risk to human health in the entire Greater Caribbean region. We stress the urgency to address this phenomenon and ensure intersectoral collaboration through the support of innovative initiatives for the management and valuation of sargassum.

39.We note with satisfaction that educational cooperation between Brazil and countries of the Caribbean has been increasing in recent years, as illustrated by the growing participation of Caribbean students in Brazilian student mobility programs, such as the Program for Partner Students (PEC) and the “Move la América” program, in addition to educational partnerships with other actors. We welcome the fact that, in the current year, Brazil concluded the process of signing educational cooperation agreements with all the countries of the Caribbean and the Americas as a whole.

40.We recognize the intrinsic value of culture as a driver of sustainable development, encompassing creativity, innovation, inclusive economic growth, decent job creation, and income generation, as well as social cohesion and environmental protection; and encourage the inclusion of culture as an independent objective in the post-2030 development agenda.

41.We aim to increase our cultural exchange, including through the sharing of experiences and best practices, and also in advocating for and promoting cultural expressions related to local communities, Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, among others. In particular, we underscore the importance of African heritage in our societies.

42. We commit to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and to combat all forms of discrimination, including racism and racial discrimination, to achieve sustainable development, especially for the realization of a more just, equitable and sustainable world.

43.We welcome the signing of the Basic Agreement on Technical
Cooperation between Brazil and the Association of Caribbean States, in January 2025, in addition to the Agreement on Technical Cooperation between Brazil and the Caribbean Community, signed on the occasion of the Brazil-CARICOM Summit, in April 2010, whose Joint Commission met in
April 2025 to discuss its implementation.

44.We highlight the importance of the election and subsequent assumption of Albert Ramdin as Secretary-General of the Organization of American States for the 2025-2030 term, the first representative of a Caribbean country to hold the position.

45. Guided by the principle of fostering dialogue in the region, Brazil and the Bahamas have launched candidacies to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, mandate 2026-2027. Taking into account the longstanding cooperation between our countries, Brazil and the Bahamas count on the participants to the Brazil-Caribbean Summit to consider to support their candidacies.

46.We celebrate Brazil’s hosting of the Caribbean Development Bank’s 55th Annual meeting in Brasilia, where Governors discussed issues such as climate change, inclusive development and resilient institutions, highlighting the possibilities of cooperation between Brazil and the Caribbean region. We congratulate the President of the CDB, Daniel Best, and the Chair of the Board of Governors, Viviane Vecchi, for their capable stewardship of the meeting.

47.1n order to follow-up on issues discussed at the Summit, we agree, without prejudice to any other existing cooperation mechanisms that the region may have with Brazil, that a Brazil-Caribbean Forum should meet every two or three years, at ministerial level, alternatively in the Caribbean and Brazil, with the aim of contributing to achieving concrete results in the thematic areas identified.

BRAZIL-CARIBBEAN SUMMIT
STATEMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE COP30

1. We, the leaders of Brazil and countries of the Caribbean, met in Brasilia, on 13 June 2025, and issued the following statement on climate change and the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

2. Recognizing climate change as one of the greatest challenges of our time, we note with concern that 2024 was the warmest year on record globally, and the first calendar year that the average global temperature exceeded 1.5 0C above its pre-industrial level. The scale and gravity of climate change and its growing impact on people’s lives poses an existential threat to humankind.

3. Climate change is of special concern for the Caribbean, as the region is heavily affected by natural disasters, exacerbated by sea level rise and saltwater intrusion, making it urgent to address those specific needs and circumstances. We recall the recognition of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) under the Paris Agreement as being among the particularly vulnerable and deserving of special consideration.

4. We acknowledge that our response to climate change must be global, in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. We urge all Parties, particularly developed country Parties, to fulfill their continuously unmet commitments with regard to emissions reductions and their obligations in providing support to developing country Parties, including climate finance.

5. We recognize that the new cycle of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) represents a good opportunity to renew all Parties’ commitment to the global action required for implementing the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement. We acknowledge the efforts made by countries in the region to submit their updated NDCs, including the submissions already made by Saint Lucia, Cuba and Brazil.

6. We must remain united in our global fight against climate change more than ever, upholding the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement as the cornerstone of our collective efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 0C. We reaffirm the pursuit of “Mission 1.5” to significantly enhance international cooperation and the international enabling environment to stimulate ambition, with a view to strengthening action and implementation over this critical decade and keeping 1.5 0C above pre-industrial level within reach.

7. We note that the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that international cooperation is a critical enabler for achieving ambitious climate action, encouraging development, and implementation of climate policies, particularly for those who have significant capacity constraints. International cooperation shall aim to strengthen respective capabilities and institutions in all countries.

8. We must scale up efforts to build resilience through meaningful adaptation plans and put adaptation at the center of climate action in this critical decade. In the context of the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events, we emphasize the urgency to address loss and damage caused by the adverse impacts of climate change and strengthen the loss and damage response under the UNFCCC to support developing countries. We welcome the launch of a start-up phase for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage in which half of available funds will be for Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). We emphasize the importance of ensuring the accessibility, predictability and adequacy of finance for addressing loss and damage, particularly for SIDS and LDCs.

9. We call for significantly scaled-up climate finance, including increased access to concessional finance and grants, to support mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage responses in developing countries. We urge the proper capitalization of climate funds, and the financial reform needed to scale adaptation in developing countries. We reaffirm that adequate financing, robust capacity-building initiatives and technology transfer are critical enablers of climate action and essential to empowering all countries in their climate responses and resilience. In this regard, we call for greater financial and technical support.

10.We reaffirm our support to the Presidencies of the 29th and 30th COPs for guiding the “Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T” to scale up needed climate finance to developing countries. The Roadmap must serve as a tool for leveraging finance to low-carbon and climate-resilience pathways in developing countries, recalling that IPCC’s alerts on the urgency of climate action are centered on findings that finance, technology, and international cooperation are critical for accelerated climate action. It is an urgent requirement to enhance the scale and speed of climate finance according to the needs of developing countries, including through the immediate reform of the international financial architecture. The unique vulnerabilities and special circumstances of SIDS must be adequately considered in financial decisions.

11. We commit to help create and deliver a full menu of financing options to accelerate private and public investment through, inter alia, results-based payments, concessional finance, as well as enhancing cooperation through high integrity carbon markets, as appropriate, in line with the multilateral agreements and the different national priorities and circumstances. In this context, we look forward to the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, an innovative and large-scale incentive for developing countries to conserve and restore their rainforests.

12. We stress the essential role of the oceans as climate regulator and carbon dioxide sink and their importance to the mitigation of global warming. We highlight their contribution to the adaptation and resilience to the adverse effects of climate change. We encourage the inclusion of ocean-based measures in national climate policies.

13. We recognize that climate change-related sea level rise disproportionately affects SIDS and coastal communities, especially in developing countries, and reaffirm our commitment to cooperate and support communities particularly vulnerable to its impacts.

14. We affirm the importance of climate justice when taking action to address climate change and emphasize that just transition processes are directly related to promoting sustainable development, eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities, between and within countries.

15. We acknowledge the vital contributions of people of African descent embodying traditional ways of life, preserving shared knowledge systems, and maintaining deep connections with their lands in the efforts to achieve sustainable development.

15. We also recognize that groups such as Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities are often disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change. At the same time, they are among the most active and resilient agents on the frontlines of climate action. As such, just transitions to a low-carbon future should address their needs and circumstances.

16. We welcome the hosting of the COP30 in Belém, Brazil, from 10 to 21 November 2025, for the first time in the Amazon region. We will join efforts to transform COP30 into a movement of financial, technological and social transformations towards a new era in the global fight against climate change

The mission was headed by Ms. Alexis Downes-Amsterdam, Director General of CARIFORUM, and was undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Barbados. The CARIFORUM team also included representatives from the EU EPA and UK EPA Programmes.

During the visit, the team engaged a cross-section of national stakeholders including representatives of key government agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Ministry of Agriculture, Customs and Excise Department and business support organisations.

Discussions focused on the administrative and legal measures required for Barbados to fully implement the agreements and implementation challenges. The CARIFORUM team provided technical guidance on advancing the required measures and addressing the challenges.

The CARIFORUM Directorate’s targeted support was also intended to ensure that Barbados is not only compliant with its EPA obligations but also equipped to translate market access into market presence and tangible long-term economic opportunities. Support to CARIFORUM States includes technical assistance to advance priority measures, targeted capacity building to boost export readiness and institutional strengthening to help CARIFORUM States maximise the opportunities available under the Agreements.

Signed in 2008, the Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM countries and the European Union is a fundamental cornerstone in this relationship to boost trade and investment between the two regions.

The CARIFORUM-UK EPA was signed in 2021 with the aim of maintaining the trading relationship between CARIFORUM States and the United Kingdom post-BREXIT.

Key outcomes of the meeting included progress on the draft Regional Industrial Policy; agreements to move forward with the revisions to CARICOM’s main trading instruments, the Common External Tariff (CET) and Rules of Origin, and strategic responses to emerging international trade measures, particularly the impact of the U.S. “America First” policies.

In an interview, Assistant Secretary-General for the CARICOM Single Market and Trade, Ambassador Wayne McCook said that Ministers received a report on the draft Regional Industrial Policy, which lays the foundation for increased productivity, competitiveness, and deeper linkages of economic sectors among Member States.

“Ministers were quite interested in the proposals and recommendations that were beginning to take shape. What has been set out is a comprehensive policy that covers all the critical areas of regional industry,” Ambassador McCook stated.

This policy, led by the Directorate of Economic Integration, Innovation and Development, with the President of Suriname championing the initiative, is designed to streamline resources and enhance industrial capacity.

Expressing optimism that the draft policy “will be finalised very soon,” Ambassador McCook said that once in place, it will better position CARICOM to benefit from existing and future trade arrangements.

CARICOM’s CET and Rules of Origin Gaining Momentum

CARICOM’s efforts to make the CET and the Rules of Origin fit for purpose gained momentum as trade ministers agreed to begin work on implementing the revised CET regime from January 2026.

The CET is a standardised tariff rate that CARICOM applies to imports from outside the region, while CARICOM Rules of Origin indicate when a particular product made within the CARICOM Single Market, qualifies for duty-free treatment. At the meeting, trade ministers provided favourable consideration to specific requests by Member States for CET exemptions and adjustments.

Describing the Rules of Origin and CET as the “real engine of the Single Market and Trade in Goods regimes to promote and support intra-regional trade,” Ambassador McCook said that the updates better reflect the ways in which regional producers and manufacturers make and trade their goods.

He said that these reforms will coincide with the implementation of the Harmonised System Code that the World Customs Organisation will introduce for 2027. Customs agencies, trade ministers, and finance departments are gearing up for the significant administrative work required over the next year to ensure that both transitions are successful, the Assistant Secretary-General stated.

Review of Potential Impact of “America First” Trade Policy

In the realm of external trade, COTED received an update on ongoing work to assess the implications of the evolving U.S. trade stance under its “America First” policy. An Expert Working Group, drawn from the CARICOM Secretariat, CARICOM Private Sector Organisation, and the Caribbean Development Bank, is reviewing the potential impact of the tariff changes including the 10 % baseline tariff applied across the board on regional exports to the U.S.

“Pooling our resources, we expect to be able to deliver the best possible analysis and advice on the way forward in addressing these new tariffs and related measures. The U.S. remains the Region’s largest trading partner overall, so this work is significant,” said the Assistant Secretary-General.

He noted that the group is working with alacrity to present the findings before the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, which is scheduled from July 6-8 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Preceding that meeting, the report will be tabled for the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on External Trade Negotiations.

Additionally, trade ministers approved CARICOM’s negotiating strategy for upcoming bilateral trade talks with Colombia and reviewed the preparations for the 2026 Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“We know that there are significant challenges that the WTO has to contend with, so Ministers looked at the landscape ahead and will be preparing to instruct our delegations to the Ministerial Conference in ways that will advance the Community’s interest in the multilateral trading system,” Ambassador McCook stated.

Please read the full the remarks delivered by the CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett at the Caribbean-Brazil Summit, Brasilia, Brazil, 13 June 2025.

• Your Excellency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil;

• Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, SC, MP, Prime Minister of Barbados, and Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM);

• Other Heads of State and Government of CARICOM and the Wider Caribbean;

• Ministers and Other Heads of Delegation;

• Distinguished Delegates;

• Representatives of the Media;

• Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is my distinct pleasure to address this Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean and Brazil.

Mr. President, in April 2010, you hosted the Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) here in Brasilia for the Inaugural CARICOM-Brazil Summit. That meeting was a historic milestone that laid the foundation for our strong relationship.

As we gather again in Brasilia, 15 years later, we thank you and your Government for hosting us once more, as we discuss matters of strategic importance to Brazil and the Caribbean.

Mr. President, your visionary leadership and firm commitment to South-South cooperation, in a world facing threats to multilateralism, sovereignty, international law, human rights, peace and security, is not just welcome, it is essential.

Under your guidance, Brazil has further cemented its hemispheric and international influence and has been actively involved in regional and global platforms as a leading voice in support of the interests of the Global South. We particularly commend Brazil’s G20 presidency last year, which championed a multi-stakeholder approach to tackling the critical issues of poverty, hunger, and inequality.

As we gather to discuss matters of hemispheric concerns, our sister nation, Haiti, continues to face severe humanitarian, security, political and governance crises. CARICOM reiterates its solidarity with Haiti and its willingness to continue, along with Brazil and other international partners, to work with Haiti to foster stability, and support the Haitian people in building a more secure and prosperous future.

Excellency, the Caribbean Community greatly appreciates Brazil’s insightful perspective on the challenges facing Small Island and Low-lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS). The Region was heartened by the commitment given by Brazil last year to stand by our countries, in the face of the Caribbean’s vulnerability to extreme events. We look forward to Brazil’s continued advocacy for a rapid and flexible implementation of the 2030 and beyond Development Agenda, which considers the specific needs of small states.

Mr. President, Caribbean countries are amongst the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases but are amongst the most adversely affected by climate change, which has manifested itself in ways that include unusual rainfall patterns in our Region, and the increased intensity and frequency of hurricanes. The unfortunate experiences of several countries around this table have provided sufficient evidence of its damaging effects.

The truth is that if all the nations around this table did everything that we can, as we are doing, to eliminate our emissions of greenhouse gasses and methane, sea levels will still rise because we do not contribute in any meaningful way to the emissions that fuel global warming and climate change. But we bear the major burden.

The issue of climate change is not a matter that we can continue to simply debate. It is here, it is real, and we are living with its impact daily. As such, we look forward to Brazil’s continued support in advocating for the concerns of SIDS in international fora, particularly as host and President of COP30 later this year.

Before I conclude, I must express appreciation for Brazil’s continued efforts to engage and strengthen the existing partnership with CARICOM. The Inaugural Meeting of the CARICOM-Brazil Joint Commission, held virtually in April this year, represents another step in revitalising our relationship and reaffirming our mutual commitment to a stronger future.

I end by expressing warm appreciation to the Government and People of Brazil for the excellent hospitality and logistical arrangements that facilitated our journey from across the Caribbean to Brasilia. Let this spirit of friendship inspire us to deepen our cooperation and ensure our partnership remains a shining model of South-South collaboration for the mutual benefit of the Caribbean and Brazil.

I thank you.

“Two years ago, we could never have imagined the turmoil with which the global trading system and the global economy are now confronted. Our business community is reeling from cancelled export orders, the imposition of new and unexpected tariffs, and unprecedented uncertainties,” Minister Symmonds, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados stated.

He was at the time addressing the opening of the Sixtieth Regular Meeting of COTED at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana on Tuesday, 11 June.

Minister Symmonds called on COTED to take decisive action to tackle urgent trade and economic issues, stressing the importance of ensuring that CARICOM’s exports enter global markets with minimal barriers.

“The question of whether our exports can enter markets with the least possible barriers and whether imports reach us in a timely, safe, and affordable manner, will all impact the performance of our economies and determine whether we thrive or struggle as a Community.”

CARICOM trade ministers met from 10-11 June to address an agenda dealing with the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), proposed implementation of the revised Common External Tariff (CET), progress of the Sectoral Working Group reviewing CARICOM Rules of Origin, and reports from the Monitoring Mechanisms on Sugar, Cement, and Rice.

Key external trade issues, including the impact of the America First Policy on CARICOM, negotiations on CARICOM-Colombia trade agreements, and Belize’s partial scope agreement with El Salvador, also received the Ministers’ attention.

Regional standards, report on the industrial policy, and public procurement mechanisms were also on the agenda.