Caricom Leaders Open Summit in Guyana

This Monday, the leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) opened their 46th regular summit in Georgetown, capital of Guyana, with regional adaptability and development at the top of their agenda.

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CARICOM Chairman and Host Chairman Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali said in his address that CARICOM is moving towards eradicating hunger and malnutrition by 2030, as the region seeks to consolidate efforts to fully implement its bold initiative to reduce the region's high regional food import bill by 25% by 2025.

"The 25 by 25 remains a top priority. However, we are of the view that we must now focus on ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030. We are proposing to bring together the human assets that this region nurtured into international fame," he said.

In this regard he mentioned world-class sporting personalities like the Jamaicans Usain Bolt, Chris Gayle, Clive Lloyd and noted the need "to bring their goodwill together as ambassadors to mobilize international financing and support so that we can end hunger and malnutrition in this region by 2030. We have the capability."

Ali said an estimated 4.1 people or 57 percent of the population in the region were affected by food insecurity, indicating a significant rise of 1.3 million compared to February 2022.

CARICOM Partnership

Ali told the opening ceremony that CARICOM is partnering with many global partners - from Saudi Arabia to Canada - to help countries in the region make their food production systems more resilient. He said these partners are funding food production projects focused on involving more women and youth in agriculture.

Intra-Regional Trade Barriers

He also noted that the region needs to eliminate intra-regional trade barriers and urged Caribbean people to pressure their leaders to remove the trade barriers that have long limited regional food security efforts. He said this will enable the region to produce more food, increase intra-regional trade and eliminate costly food imports from outside the Caribbean.

"We continue to work to remove trade barriers within member states, and the people of CARICOM must press leaders to remove trade barriers. People of this region, call on your leaders to remove these barriers."

Ali furter referred to the current political, economic and social situation in Haiti, stressing that CARICOM will not turn away from the Caribbean country. "We are committed as a region to ensuring that the people of Haiti can also realize their full potential in peace, security and with good governance," he said.

He praised the work of the CARCOM Eminent Persons Group, chaired by former St Lucian Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony, "in ensuring that we advance, in the interest of the people of Haiti because our region has one interest when it comes to Haiti."

For her part, Caricom Secretary General Carla N. Barnett noted in her opening remarks that the bloc is working with the relevant parties to find a solution to the multidimensional crisis in Haiti. Barnett ratified the commitment to maintain the region as a Zone of Peace despite "various border disputes and the passage of dangerous weapons and drugs across our lands and seas."

"Our past and present generations of leaders have established a solid foundation on which we can build. Our more than 50 years of existence proves that the Caribbean Community remains a viable integration movement," she said.

Representatives from Canada, the U.S., France, the United Kingdom, the Dominican Republic, the United Nations and the United States will also be able to take part in the summit. 

Venezuela is also attending the 46th Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government, to be held February 25-28. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will attend the summit this week as a special guest. 

The meeting is attended by 13 of the 15 heads of government of the region, to address issues such as agrofood security, air and maritime transport, resilience to climate change, security, the situation in Haiti, among others. 

The exchanges at the summit, including with President Lula as well as "high-level guests from Canada, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United Nations, will allow us to continue our strong engagement with diverse international partners on issues crucial to the sustained development and transformation of our region," said Barnett.