Amid growing global momentum for expanding South-South economic collaboration, Senator Lamin Newton has stepped forward to lead Antigua and Barbuda’s official delegation at the high-profile Morocco-OECS Economic Forum, a landmark gathering designed to bridge North African and Caribbean economic interests.
The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), which brings together 11 small island developing states across the Eastern Caribbean, has partnered with Moroccan authorities to organize the forum, with a core focus on unlocking new mutually beneficial partnerships across key sectors including tourism, renewable energy, agricultural innovation, blue economy development, and trade facilitation. For small island nations like Antigua and Barbuda, which face persistent economic vulnerabilities from climate change and global market volatility, building new diversified economic alliances is a strategic priority to drive sustainable growth and build resilience.
As the official representative of Antigua and Barbuda, Senator Newton is expected to outline the country’s key investment priorities, particularly in climate adaptation technology, sustainable tourism infrastructure, and offshore services development, while engaging in bilateral talks with Moroccan government officials and private sector delegates. The forum creates a rare structured platform for OECS member states to connect directly with North African economic stakeholders, opening pathways for knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and increased market access for Caribbean export products.
Diplomatic observers note that the forum marks a deepening of engagement between Morocco and the Caribbean region, aligning with both sides’ goals of reducing overreliance on traditional trading partners and expanding economic cooperation across the Global South. For Antigua and Barbuda specifically, participation in this dialogue offers an opportunity to advance its national development agenda while contributing to collective OECS efforts to strengthen regional integration and global economic influence.