From May 18 to 19, 2026, Grenada Prime Minister the Honourable Dickon Mitchell completed a high-stakes, two-day official working visit to Washington, D.C., marking a landmark step in deepening diplomatic and economic collaboration between the Caribbean island nation and the United States. The packed itinerary centered on five core priority areas: cross-border investment, energy development, trade expansion, critical infrastructure upgrades, and regional security cooperation, with Mitchell holding direct, substantive talks with senior officials from the U.S. Cabinet, congressional leaders, and major U.S. private sector stakeholders.
### Strengthening Bilateral and Economic Partnerships
The entire diplomatic mission was framed around boosting Grenada’s global visibility as an attractive destination for sustainable trade and international investment, starting with high-level dialogue across key U.S. government branches. At the U.S. Department of State, Mitchell sat down with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to reaffirm shared commitments to regional collaboration and expand mutually beneficial bilateral economic ties.
Moving to the Department of Commerce, the prime minister held targeted discussions with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and William Kimmett, Under Secretary for the International Trade Administration. The talks centered on unlocking Grenada’s emerging oil and gas potential while streamlining and optimizing existing trade routes between the two nations to reduce barriers for Grenadian exporters. Mitchell also made direct outreach to key congressional leaders, including Representative Joe Wilson of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senator Bill Hagerty, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, to secure ongoing legislative support for the deepening of U.S.-Grenada bilateral relations.
### Advancing Energy Security and Maritime Logistics
A central pillar of Mitchell’s visit was advancing Grenada’s goals of energy sovereignty, climate resilience, and long-term economic sustainability, with technical and private sector discussions focused on renewable energy development and supply chain improvements. At the U.S. Department of Energy, the Grenadian delegation met with a senior leadership team including Juan Pablo Varela, Special Advisor for International Affairs, and John Lassek, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Subsurface Energy, Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy. The two sides explored opportunities for U.S. technical assistance and international private investment in Grenada’s geothermal and utility-scale solar energy sectors.
Separately, Mitchell held talks with Adam Cortese, CEO of UGT Renewables, focused on mobilizing global private capital to deliver large-scale solar energy projects and related infrastructure to unlock Grenada’s abundant renewable energy potential. For maritime logistics, a meeting with Tropical Shipping CEO Tim Martin centered on practical improvements: streamlining cross-border supply chains, cutting freight costs for Grenadian businesses, and building more efficient maritime logistics networks that support the island nation’s trading community.
### Aligning on National and Regional Security Priorities
Addressing shared border management challenges and aligned geopolitical interests across the Western Hemisphere, Mitchell held strategic strategy sessions at the White House National Security Council with Michael Jensen, Senior Director of the NSC, and Will Turner, Special Advisor to the Vice President for the Western Hemisphere. Discussions focused on advancing regional stability in the Eastern Caribbean, advancing the U.S. ‘Americas First’ policy framework, expanding U.S. support for Grenada’s disaster response and risk management systems, and strengthening joint air and maritime border security enforcement in the subregion.
In his post-visit commentary, Mitchell emphasized that the two days of intensive engagement marked the starting point of a deeper, long-term partnership with the United States, one centered on driving Grenada’s national development goals through expanded bilateral cooperation. “By solidifying direct alliances with U.S. federal agencies, key congressional committees, and major industrial leaders, we are positioning Grenada to attract premium, sustainable investments that deliver long-term benefits to our people,” Mitchell noted.
Before arriving in Washington for official diplomatic talks, Mitchell undertook a two-day engagement with the Grenadian diaspora in New York City from May 16 to 17. During that trip, he attended the graduation ceremony of St George’s University at Madison Square Garden, where renowned Grenadian physician Dr. Dolland Noel was honored with the institution’s Distinguished Service Award. Alongside the Project Polaris Team and Grenada’s Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs Terry Forrester, Mitchell also led a well-attended town hall meeting at Medgar Evers College, where he addressed questions and priorities from the local Grenadian community. He also took part in the Spice Excellence Awards, where 12 accomplished Grenadians from diverse professional fields were recognized for their outstanding career achievements.
Following the conclusion of his official travel, Mitchell and his delegation completed their itinerary and returned to Grenada on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. This report was issued by the Office of the Prime Minister of Grenada.