Prime Minister Gaston Browne has called on the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to adopt a more proactive and strategic approach to engaging Latin America, arguing that the sub-region has yet to fully capitalise on the immense economic opportunities presented by its Spanish-speaking neighbours.
Browne appealed during his address as incoming Chairman of the OECS Authority at the 78th Meeting of the Authority, held at the Royalton Resort on Sunday.
Addressing fellow Heads of Government, the Prime Minister noted that while the OECS is home to approximately 625,000 people and forms part of a CARICOM community of roughly 17 million, the wider Latin American market represents more than 447 million consumers—nearly 40 times the size of CARICOM. Despite this proximity and scale, he said, trade and commercial relations remain significantly underdeveloped.
“We must develop a far more proactive strategy toward our Latin American neighbourhood,” Browne told delegates, emphasizing that deeper engagement should include increased Spanish-language proficiency among OECS nationals and public officials to strengthen cultural and commercial ties.
The Prime Minister highlighted Panama as a key strategic partner, citing the country’s importance as a global logistics hub. He pointed to the Panama Canal, which facilitates more than US$33 billion in annual trade, as well as the Colón Free Trade Zone, describing both as critical assets that the OECS could leverage to expand trade and improve supply chains.
Browne proposed that the OECS utilize Panama as a transshipment hub while forging stronger sourcing partnerships with producers across Central America. He argued that such a strategy would not only enhance regional trade but also help lower consumer prices and improve the sub-region’s ability to withstand global economic shocks.
“An OECS strategy that builds sourcing partnerships with Central American producers, uses Panama as a transshipment point, and develops shared regional emergency stockpiles could fundamentally reduce our cost of living and transform our resilience,” Browne said.
He stressed that closer integration with Latin America should form a central pillar of the OECS’s long-term economic strategy, positioning the sub-region to diversify its markets, strengthen food and supply security, and unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth.