Georgetown, Guyana – Preparations for Suriname’s upcoming assumption of the rotating chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)’s Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) have been successfully wrapped up during a gathering of senior regional officials hosted at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown.
In May, Suriname will officially succeed the outgoing presidency, taking over the leadership gavel for a 12-month term during the 29th COFCOR ministerial meeting, scheduled to take place on May 20 and 21 in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital. Senior representatives from across CARICOM’s 15 member states gathered at the preparatory session to finalize the agenda and key priorities for the upcoming high-stakes regional gathering.
The preparatory meeting was led by Ambassador Miriam Mac Intosh, Director of Foreign Policy at Suriname’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation. In her opening remarks, Mac Intosh underscored COFCOR’s central role within the CARICOM framework, noting that the body serves as the core coordinating platform for foreign ministers across the bloc to align regional policy positions and co-develop collective regional strategies.
Key topics already locked into the agenda for the May ministerial summit include a deep review of CARICOM’s ongoing international partnerships, covering existing and future collaboration with global and regional stakeholders such as Canada, Saudi Arabia, the African Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Morocco, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Discussions will prioritize expanding technical exchange and strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships with these third parties. Additional agenda items include assessing the implications of the UN80 initiative, a comprehensive update on the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti, and the outcomes and follow-up actions from global and regional gatherings including the Summit of the Americas.
Mac Intosh emphasized that rising global geopolitical tensions and growing fragmentation in the international order have made unified collective action from the CARICOM bloc more critical than ever. She reaffirmed that CARICOM member states must remain steadfast in upholding shared core values including democratic governance, the rule of law, and a commitment to inclusive multilateral cooperation to advance regional interests.
As the incoming president, Suriname has outlined three core priorities for its one-year term: strengthening regional unity among CARICOM member states, deepening cross-bloc collaboration on shared priorities, and preserving the bloc’s consistent, credible voice in global international fora. The outcomes of the Georgetown preparatory meeting will form the foundational framework for all final decision-making at the full ministerial session in Paramaribo next month.