The regional health sector is set to receive a welcome injection of support with the signing of a new cooperation agreement between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Government of Spain.
The agreement formalises Spain’s €400,000 contribution to “Strengthening Regional Leadership, Governance and Coordinated Action in Health to Address New and Existing Health Challenges in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),” which is being implemented by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
It was signed on Wednesday, 6 May 2026, by the CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett, and the Ambassador of Spain to CARICOM, Her Excellency María Cristina Pérez Gutiérrez, during the Tenth Meeting of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the CARICOM–Spain Joint Fund for Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
The Meeting, co-chaired by Assistant Secretary-General of the Directorate of Foreign and Community Relations at the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, and Her Excellency Pérez Gutiérrez, was held in a hybrid format at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters.
In her opening remarks, Assistant Secretary-General Solomon underscored the value of the CARICOM-Spain partnership, noting that “the CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund continues to play an important role in advancing regional priorities through cooperation that has evolved into a results-oriented programme of support that is both practical and responsive delivering tangible benefits to the people of the Caribbean Community.”
Her Excellency Pérez Gutiérrez reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to CARICOM, stating that “Spain values its partnership with CARICOM and remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen resilience, sustainability and regional cooperation.”
During the meeting, the Joint Technical Committee reviewed the financial status of the Joint Fund and took note of the Internal Audit Report for the six-month period ended 30 June 2025.
The Committee also considered two new regional project proposals with a combined value of US$700,000. The first proposal targets “Greening Caribbean Ports Programme (GCPP): Advancing Sustainable Maritime Infrastructure in Caribbean Small Island Developing States,” and is expected to be implemented by the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) and the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC).
The second proposal, titled “Strengthening the Caribbean Emergency Response Capabilities through the Next Level Regional Response Mechanism (RRM),” is expected to be implemented by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
Both sides reaffirmed the CARICOM–Spain Joint Fund as a key instrument for supporting priority regional initiatives and strengthening technical cooperation between CARICOM and Spain.
