Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett on Wednesday urged Ministers of Foreign Affairs gathered in Paramaribo, Suriname for the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), to deepen coordination and present a united international voice, as CARICOM navigates evolving geopolitical and economic challenges.
She reminded the delegates that the decisions of COFCOR, and other organs of the Community have direct implications for the economic and social wellbeing of citizens of the Community, as she called for outcomes that would strengthen Community resilience.
Delivering remarks at the opening session of the Meeting, Secretary-General Barnett said the Community is operating in a period of “hemispheric and global shifts” with implications for its economies, trade relations and foreign policy priorities.
In this context, she indicated that the Community continues to engage international partners, through the consolidation of traditional relationships and widening of diplomatic outreach, highlighting engagements that will take place during the Meeting with partners including Japan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates on areas of shared interest.
Looking ahead, the Secretary-General noted the need for active CARICOM-wide preparation and participation in a series of upcoming global engagements in 2026 that could influence outcomes on priority issues such as reparatory justice, the situation in Haiti, climate change, access to climate finance, and international peace and security.
These include the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, United Nations General Assembly, Organization of American States General Assembly and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31).
“One of our Caribbean Community’s greatest strengths is our ability to project a united voice,” she added, noting that such unity allows small states to influence global decision-making.
While acknowledging the complexity of reconciling national with regional priorities, she said that coordination among CARICOM Member States remains essential.
“None of our small nations can effectively confront these challenges in isolation. Working together is therefore not an option, it is an imperative,” Secretary-General Barnett told the Meeting.
