Grenada set to host 47th CARICOM Heads of Government meeting

The 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) will take place in St George’s, Grenada, from July 28 to 30, 2024.

This event coincides with Grenada’s celebration of its 50th anniversary of independence.

The meeting also commemorates the 35th anniversary of the Grand Anse Declaration, a pivotal moment in CARICOM’s transition towards a single market and economy.

Key speakers at the opening ceremony will include CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Barnett, Outgoing Chairman Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and Incoming Chairman Dickon Mitchell. Additionally, Curaçao will be welcomed as an Associate Member.

The agenda will address crucial issues such as the agri-food systems agenda focusing on food and nutrition security, climate change and sustainable development, foreign policy, the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), and collaboration with social partners. Discussions will also cover the effects of Hurricane Beryl on the region.

Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, will be the special guest at the meeting.

As CARICOM advances regional integration through the CSME and other sectoral programs, particular focus will be on implementing the Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA), which aims to create a single market for air transport services within the Community.

Heads of Government will assess progress on key goals such as full free movement and reducing food imports by 25 percent by 2025. They will also deliberate on the Strategy for Regional Digital Resilience 2025-2030. The new Chairman, Dickon Mitchell, who leads in Science and Technology within the CARICOM Quasi Cabinet, will play a vital role in these discussions.

Addresses at the Ceremony will be delivered by Chairman Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, Outgoing Chairman Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana, and CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Barnett. The formal admission of Curaçao will also take place during the Ceremony, which will be streamed live on CARICOM’s social media platforms starting at 4:00 pm local time.

On Monday, July 29, business sessions will be held at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort in Grand Anse, a historically significant site as the birthplace of the Grand Anse Declaration and Work Programme, signed during the 10th Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government on July 12, 1989. This Declaration aimed to enhance economic and political cooperation among Member States, emphasizing sovereignty, non-interference, and equality. It notably led to the creation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), promoting economic growth, competitiveness, and opportunities for Member States’ citizens.

The customary closing press conference will occur on Tuesday, July 30, at 4:30 pm at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort in a hybrid format.