Against a backdrop of sweeping global geopolitical transformation, the 29th Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) concluded its two-day deliberations in Paramaribo, Suriname on May 21, 2026. Chaired by Suriname’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Cooperation, the gathering brought together foreign ministers from across CARICOM member states, alongside CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and outgoing COFCOR Chair Dr. Denzil Douglas, Foreign Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, to map a unified strategy for the bloc amid growing global uncertainty.
The meeting opened with a clear recognition that small island and low-lying coastal developing states across the Caribbean face amplified vulnerabilities driven by intensifying great power competition, volatile energy markets, and stubbornly persistent inflation. In addition to formal plenary sessions, participants held closed-door, in-depth discussions on how CARICOM can navigate ongoing geopolitical headwinds, with a focus on strengthening coordinated foreign policy and advancing strategic expansion of the community.
Participants reached a core consensus that unified action and the deliberate diversification of international partnerships remain the most effective tools for countering global instability and advancing inclusive sustainable development for Caribbean populations. To advance this goal, the gathering carried out a comprehensive review of CARICOM’s existing and emerging relationships with key global partners.
Among the key developments in bilateral cooperation, delegates explored the establishment of a new CARICOM-Saudi Arabia Joint Collaboration Mechanism, called for deeper institutional engagement with the United Kingdom, and accepted an Austrian offer to host a joint CARICOM office in Vienna to boost the bloc’s multilateral presence. Productive talks with United Arab Emirates Special Envoy Omar Shehadeh advanced negotiations on a proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a deal that would dramatically expand CARICOM’s market access across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Delegates also held productive exchanges with Japanese Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Eri Arfiya, acknowledging the strong momentum in ongoing technical cooperation focused on priority areas including disaster risk reduction, sargassum seaweed management, and industrial diversification. Participants reaffirmed the critical value of Japan’s longstanding support in addressing the unique structural vulnerabilities facing small island developing states. Talks with Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan centered on strengthening collaboration between small nations to amplify their collective voice in global governance and strengthen their negotiating positions in international forums.
Beyond bilateral ties, COFCOR delegates examined a range of pressing issues in multilateral and hemispheric affairs. On United Nations reform efforts, the bloc issued a caution that plans to boost efficiency through a shift to centralized regional hubs must not weaken in-country technical expertise, reduce institutional responsiveness to regional needs, or marginalize core Caribbean priorities such as climate resilience and disaster response. The meeting also included deliberations on ongoing developments at the Organization of American States, including work on the Draft Inter-American Declaration on the Rights of Persons and Peoples of African Descent. Ministers received updated briefings on progress within the Association of Caribbean States and the expanding CARICOM-African Union strategic partnership.
The ongoing crisis in Haiti remained a top regional priority for attendees. Delegates reaffirmed CARICOM’s unwavering commitment to supporting Haitian-led solutions to restore peace and stability in the neighboring country. Ministers emphasized the urgent need for scaled-up international humanitarian funding to address acute food insecurity and the displacement of more than 1.4 million Haitians. CARICOM will continue to coordinate closely with regional and global partners to advance long-term stability and sustainable progress for the Haitian people.
On longstanding regional border disputes, the meeting reaffirmed CARICOM’s unshakable solidarity with Belize and Guyana amid their ongoing territorial disputes with Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela respectively. After receiving updated briefings from both governments on the status of their claims, delegates confirmed the community’s full support for the security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the two member states, and reaffirmed commitment to resolving all disputes through peaceful, judicial processes.
In discussions of CARICOM’s strategic enlargement, delegates reviewed progress on membership applications from two prospective new members: Bermuda, which has applied for full membership, and French Guiana, which is seeking associate membership. Participants recognized that expansion offers significant opportunities to amplify CARICOM’s global voice and extend its geographic and economic reach, while committing to ensuring that any growth preserves the bloc’s core values and foundational integration goals.
In closing remarks, chairing officials emphasized that the two days of deliberations delivered a clear, unambiguous conclusion: for CARICOM, unity and collective action are no longer optional policy choices — they are existential strategic imperatives. At a moment of rapid global power realignment, fragmented action would risk pushing the Caribbean bloc to the margins of the emerging global geopolitical order. Delegates departed the meeting with a renewed sense of collective purpose and a firm commitment to deepening policy coordination, ensuring that expanded partnerships and a stronger global voice deliver tangible improvements in security, prosperity, and well-being for every citizen across the CARICOM community.