Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Foreign and Community Relations with the CARICOM Secretariat, Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, has described the upcoming 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government as a “meeting of great interest.”

Speaking ahead of the Conference, which is set for February 19-21 in Bridgetown, Barbados, Ms. Solomon noted that the meeting comes at a focal time for the hemisphere and will be an opportune moment to discuss CARICOM’s approach to various matters.

Themed “Strength in Unity: Forging Caribbean Resilience, Inclusive Growth, and Sustainable Development,” the Conference will address matters on the regional agenda including food and nutrition security, climate change and finance, the ongoing challenges in Haiti, security issues, digital resilience, external relations, and the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. Maritime and air transport, as well as reparations, will also be discussed over the two days.

Ms. Solomon underscored the importance of regional unity, stating,

“It is important for the Region to unite and speak with one voice on many issues, and this is an excellent opportunity under Prime Minister Mottley’s leadership, who began her chairmanship of CARICOM at the start of 2025,” she stated.

The opening ceremony will be held on the afternoon of February 19 at the Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Bridgetown, featuring speeches from Prime Minister Mottley, immediate past Chair, Hon. Dickon Mitchell of Grenada; the new Premier of Montserrat Hon. Reuben T. Meade, and CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett. Special Guests UN Secretary-General, H.E. António Guterres and European Commission President, H.E.Ursula von der Leyen will also address the Ceremony.

Heads of Government are expected to engage with several distinguished guests, including the UN Secretary-General; European Commission President; Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland; President of the Caribbean Development Bank, Mr. Daniel Best; President of Afreximbank H.E. Professor Benedict Oramah; and Executive President of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) Mr. Sergio Díaz-Granados.

A special meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) will precede the Conference on February 19. ASG Solomon described this meeting as “very important,” noting that CARICOM Foreign Ministers play a key role in advising the Heads of Government on foreign policy matters.

About CARICOM’s Foreign Policy
Foreign policy coordination is one of the four main pillars of the Caribbean Community, as specified in Article 6 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. CARICOM’s regional, bilateral and multilateral relations are based on principles of democracy, the rule of law, multilateralism, and international cooperation.

CARICOM’s foreign policy agenda was established in 1972 at the Seventh Standing Committee of the Commonwealth Caribbean Heads of Government, which led to the creation of a Standing Committee of Ministers to tackle shared foreign policy concerns. The committee’s first meeting took place in Georgetown, Guyana, in November 1973, where the Committee was renamed the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR).