In a significant regional leadership transition, Antigua and Barbuda has formally assumed the chairmanship of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) for the 2026-2028 term. The handover ceremony occurred during the 22nd CDCC meeting in Trinidad, where Trinidad and Tobago passed stewardship responsibilities to the incoming chair nation.
Established in 1975 through a United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) resolution, the CDCC maintains a mandate to promote regional collaboration for economic and social advancement. The committee now serves as a critical platform for addressing the distinctive challenges confronting Caribbean small island developing states.
Ambassador Walton Webson, Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, characterized the leadership assumption as both strategically timed and highly significant. “This mandate arrives at an optimal juncture, enabling us to champion the ABAS decade as the regional implementation framework for SIDS resilience,” Webson stated during the transition proceedings.
The ambassador outlined key priorities for Antigua and Barbuda’s tenure, including advancing climate financing reform, establishing robust investment pipelines, and strengthening technical partnerships throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. He emphasized that the CDCC must persistently advocate for “fairness, predictability, and resilience as foundational pillars of a new financial architecture for island states.”
Webson additionally acknowledged Trinidad and Tobago’s contributions during their chairmanship, recognizing their dedicated stewardship and commitment to regional integration and development. The leadership transition marks a pivotal moment for Antigua and Barbuda to influence regional responses to climate change, disaster resilience, sustainable financing, and enhanced South-South cooperation mechanisms.