I am honoured to serve as Chair of the Caribbean Community and to welcome my colleague Heads of Government to this Fiftieth (50th) Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), held in my beautiful St. Kitts and Nevis.
This week, every Member State and Associate Member was represented by either its Head of Government or a designated Head of Delegation. In fact, 20 of the 21 Heads of Government were present. I am advised that this marks the first time in over a decade that attendance has been so high. I extend my sincere appreciation and gratitude to all my colleagues from across the region who took the time to attend and actively participate in the Meeting.
I also thank all delegates for their interest, dedication, and commitment. Their presence throughout the week was noted, and their contributions were invaluable.
Special Guests
For this 50th Regular Meeting, we welcomed the following Special Guests:
H.E. Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Member of the Council of Ministers and Climate Envoy, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
H.E. Dr. George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Afreximbank
H.E. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, United States
H.E. Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates
The Honourable Shirley Botchwey, Commonwealth Secretary-General
Meetings Convened
In the margins of the Meeting, the following key bodies of the Community also convened:
16th Special Meeting of the Community Council
25th Special Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations
20th Meeting of the CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors
The deliberations of these groups were critical to achieving the Meeting’s overall outcomes. The Meeting also facilitated bilateral engagements among Member States.
Key Matters Considered
CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME)
Heads of Government approved recommendations to include approved categories of aviation personnel — aircraft maintenance engineers, professional pilots, air traffic controllers, and flight operations officers — within the Aviation Personnel category.
Reparations
Heads of Government requested the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Reparations to review and advise on the revised CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparations: A Manifesto, including priority activities for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for Antigua and Barbuda in November and other strategic meetings in 2026.
Indigenisation of The University of the West Indies
Heads of Government welcomed the progress report on the indigenisation process and endorsed replacing the Royal Charter with a Treaty signed and ratified by CARICOM Member States.
The proposed Treaty will anchor the University within a CARICOM treaty framework while preserving its autonomy, governance, and academic freedom. Heads expressed appreciation to Professor Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor, for his leadership.
The Situation in Haiti
Heads received updates on political, security, and humanitarian developments. They expressed deep appreciation to Kenya for leading the Multinational Security Support mission and commended the Eminent Persons Group for its strategic facilitation. The Conference reaffirmed CARICOM’s commitment to restoring peace, stability, and credible elections.
Regional Security
Heads commended the High-Level Representative on Law and Criminal Justice for progress on model legislation and reforms and welcomed collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme to expand the Police Record Management Information System.
Financing and Governance
Heads agreed to establish a committee comprising Prime Ministers Mia Amor Mottley, Roosevelt Skerritt, President Dr Irfaan Ali, and Prime Minister Andrew Holness to review the Community’s governance and financing.
Border Issues
Heads received updates on matters before the International Court of Justice involving Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Guyana, and Venezuela. They reaffirmed support for peaceful resolution through international law and reiterated their unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Belize and Guyana.
Free Movement / Enhanced Cooperation
Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines reported the successful commencement of free movement arrangements on 1 October 2025 and ongoing strengthening of administrative and legislative frameworks.
Industrial Policy and External Trade
Heads endorsed the draft CARICOM Industrial Policy and Strategy Framework to foster market-led, competitive, and sustainable industries and reviewed preparations for the fourteenth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation.
Forthcoming Summits
CARICOM will leverage upcoming summits, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda and the Fifth CARICOM–Mexico Summit, to advance regional priorities.
Closing
This 50th Regular Meeting was a resounding success. With full participation from every State and Associate Member, we were able to deliberate on and finalise numerous important issues.
I extend sincere thanks to the Secretary-General and the CARICOM Secretariat for their coordination efforts; the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the local organising committee; the people of St. Kitts and Nevis for their warmth and hospitality; all delegates; members of the Diplomatic Corps; support teams, protocol officers, security and media personnel; service providers, including the Marriott St. Kitts and technical teams; and the media for their comprehensive coverage throughout the Meeting.