On Sunday, 21 June 2026, the opening ceremony of the 78th Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Authority Meeting is being held live at the Royalton Resort located in Five Islands, St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. This annual high-level gathering brings together the top political leaders from the OECS’s 11 member and associate member states to coordinate regional policy, address shared challenges, and advance integration goals across the Eastern Caribbean.
As the supreme governing body of the OECS, the Authority holds regular meetings to set the strategic direction for the regional bloc, covering areas ranging from economic harmonization and climate resilience to cross-border security and free movement of people. This year’s gathering comes at a critical juncture for small island developing states in the Caribbean, which continue to grapple with the lingering economic fallout of global shocks, escalating climate change impacts including more frequent extreme weather events, and evolving regional trade dynamics.
The live broadcast of the opening ceremony allows regional residents, stakeholders, and international observers to follow the launch of proceedings, as leaders prepare to deliberate on priority initiatives that will shape the future of cooperation across the Eastern Caribbean. Hosting the event at the Five Islands venue also highlights Antigua and Barbuda’s ongoing role in facilitating regional dialogue and collaboration within the OECS framework.