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December 27, 2025
December 27, 2025
December 27, 2025
CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett has underscored the urgent need for stronger regional resilience and deeper economic integration as Member States continue to grapple with the growing impacts of climate change.
Her remarks came on Thursday during the opening of the 61st Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), held at the CARICOM Secretariat in Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.
Dr Barnett reaffirmed the Caribbean Community’s solidarity with Jamaica and Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which caused significant loss of life and widespread destruction.
She praised the swift mobilisation of regional institutions, including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), private sector bodies, and other regional partners.
She also noted that the recent visit of four CARICOM Heads of Government to Jamaica served as a visible demonstration of unity and an important catalyst for additional support.
“The experience leaves us in no doubt about the urgency of addressing the existential threats posed by climate change and the need to redouble our efforts to build resilience and foster sustainable development across our Region,” Dr Barnett stated.
“Strengthening our trade and economic performance is a critical part of this, and COTED must continue to play its important role in this regard.”
She emphasised that the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) remains central to driving sustainable growth and ensuring the Region’s ability to withstand future climate shocks.
Dr Barnett also highlighted the responsibility of COTED to advance the policies and frameworks that underpin economic integration.
The Meeting was chaired by Belize’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, the Honourable Marconi Leal, who urged Member States to strengthen coordinated efforts in the face of increasingly complex global and domestic challenges.
Minister Leal said the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa illustrated once again the Region’s deep vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters.
“We are meeting amidst complex global geopolitical and domestic challenges that are testing the resilience of individual Member States and the Community at large,” he noted.
“The recent passage of Hurricane Melissa provided another stark reminder of the Region’s extreme vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters.”
Minister Leal outlined several major areas under review by the Council, including advancing the free movement of CARICOM nationals, implementing the Community’s Industrial Policy and Strategy 2035, and considering support measures relating to the application of Article 164 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
He emphasised that these initiatives form critical pillars of strengthening the CSME and enhancing long-term regional recovery and competitiveness.
The 61st Meeting of COTED reaffirmed CARICOM’s collective commitment to resilience, sustainable development, and deeper regional economic integration as the Community continues to confront the growing threats arising from climate change and global uncertainty.
