CARICOM leaders gather for Summit in Grenada

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is poised to convene its 47th Regular Meeting in St. George’s, Grenada, from July 3 to 5, with a significant agenda focused on enhancing regional integration and tackling key regional issues.

Key topics on the agenda include the agri-food systems agenda with a spotlight on food and nutrition security.

Discussions will also cover climate change, sustainable development, and foreign policy, along with efforts to strengthen the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Engagements with social partners are planned, reinforcing the collaborative framework within the community.

A major focus will be on implementing the Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA), aiming to create a unified market for air transport services within the Community. Leaders will also review progress towards regional goals, such as achieving full free movement and reducing food imports by 25 percent by 2025, demonstrating a commitment to self-reliance and economic resilience.

The meeting will introduce a Strategy for Regional Digital Resilience for 2025-2030, marking a significant step in integrating technology and innovation into the region’s developmental agenda.

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, the incoming chairman and lead Head of Government for Science and Technology, will play a crucial role in steering these discussions.

The opening ceremony will honor two distinguished Caribbean figures. Legendary Guyanese cricketer Sir Clive Hubert Lloyd and esteemed Jamaican regionalist Roderick Rainford, a former CARICOM Secretary-General, will receive the Order of the Caribbean Community.

This event will set the tone for the meeting, celebrating the achievements and contributions of its members.

The Heads of Government will conduct their business sessions at the Radisson Beach Resort, Grand Anse, a site of historical significance as the birthplace of the Grand Anse Declaration and Work Programme.

This declaration has been pivotal in enhancing economic and political cooperation among member states, promoting principles of sovereignty, non-interference, and equality.

The conference will conclude with a hybrid format media conference, followed by the Seventeenth CARICOM Elite 10K, Open 10K, and Youth 1.7K Road Races, fostering camaraderie and community spirit among professional and amateur athletes from across the Caribbean.

As Grenada celebrates its 50th Independence anniversary, the CARICOM meeting also marks the close of the 50th anniversary of CARICOM’s establishment.

These milestones provide a crucial reference point for leaders to shape a regional integration agenda beyond the 50th anniversary.