On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Antigua and Barbuda formalized a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Japan’s Sasakawa Peace Foundation, marking a major step forward in the twin national priorities of robust ocean governance and inclusive, long-term Blue Economy growth. The signing ceremony unfolded during the high-profile Blue Finance and Innovation Side Event hosted as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026, held at Antigua and Barbuda’s John E. St. Luce Finance and Conference Centre. The gathering drew a cross-section of key stakeholders, including Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister the Honourable Gaston Browne, cabinet ministers, global development partners, international investors, and leading marine policy specialists, all gathered to align on actionable solutions for small island developing states (SIDS) grappling with escalating marine threats. Delivering formal remarks around the MOU signing, the Honourable Anthony Smith Jr., Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, outlined that the new partnership is explicitly designed to boost national technical capacity and streamline evidence-based marine policy drafting, as Antigua and Barbuda pursues its ambitious goal of becoming the first Caribbean nation to roll out a fully comprehensive legislative framework governing all Blue Economy sectors. “This signing is far more than a ceremonial formality: it entrenches our nation’s unwavering commitment to accountable, science-backed ocean stewardship and a Blue Economy that delivers shared prosperity for every community that depends on our marine resources,” Minister Smith emphasized. Opening the full side event under the core theme “Raising Blue Finance to Conserve Our Ocean,” Minister Smith underscored the urgent, unmet need to break down systemic barriers that prevent SIDS from accessing affordable, targeted conservation financing. He laid out a stark picture of cascading marine risks facing the twin economic pillars of Antigua and Barbuda: widespread coral reef degradation, accelerating coastal erosion, recurring damaging sargassum influxes, and steadily rising sea levels, all of which threaten the long-term viability of both the local fisheries industry and the country’s world-famous tourism sector, as well as the safety of coastal residential communities. “For small island nations like ours, ocean conservation is not a discretionary luxury reserved for wealthy, landlocked economies. It is an existential priority, tied directly to our national survival, economic stability, and long-term development trajectory,” Minister Smith stated, issuing a collective call to global partners to deliver practical, accessible blue financing, deepen cross-border collaborative partnerships, and direct targeted investment to the on-the-ground coastal communities that rely most on healthy marine ecosystems. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the official ceremony, the Honourable Randy Baltimore, Minister of State, shared that the Antigua and Barbuda government has already been in extended, productive preliminary negotiations with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in the months leading up to the MOU signing. Those earlier discussions mapped out a wide scope of potential technical cooperation initiatives, including coordinated rapid response systems for seasonal sargassum blooms, the feasibility of building a local seaweed management and processing facility to turn excess marine biomass into a viable economic resource, and broader targeted programs to modernize local fisheries regulation and improve sustainable marine resource management across the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Antigua and Barbuda Signs MOU with Sasakawa Peace Foundation to Advance Blue Economy
