Carib Scope

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  • IOM NEWS: Saint Lucia launches draft National Migration Policy grounded in data and diaspora engagement

    IOM NEWS: Saint Lucia launches draft National Migration Policy grounded in data and diaspora engagement

    Against a backdrop of shifting demographic pressures and widespread labor gaps across the Caribbean, the eastern Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia has taken a landmark step toward proactive, inclusive migration governance. On Monday, May 18, the government officially launched its long-awaited draft National Migration Policy during a formal media briefing and multi-stakeholder panel discussion, with direct technical and strategic support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

    The policy framework represents a holistic, whole-of-society approach to migration management, developed through years of rigorous data collection, cross-sector stakeholder consultations, and forward-thinking strategic planning. Unlike reactive migration policies that treat population movement as a challenge to be contained, Saint Lucia’s new draft positions migration as a core driver of long-term sustainable development and national resilience.

    At the heart of the draft policy is a rights-centered, gender-responsive, development-focused governance structure designed to standardize the measurement, monitoring, and management of all migration flows in the country. It identifies five priority action areas: streamlined and equitable labor migration, deeper engagement with the Saint Lucian diaspora worldwide, strengthened national migration data systems, enhanced protection for vulnerable migrant populations, and robust crisis-era migration governance protocols. All priorities are aligned with broader national goals of boosting inclusive economic growth and strengthening national resilience to external shocks.

    Addressing attendees at the launch, IOM Caribbean Coordinator Patrice Quesada underscored the cross-cutting nature of migration policy, noting that population movement impacts every corner of national life and cannot be confined to a single government sector. “Migration does not belong to one sector, it cuts across different aspects of society,” Quesada explained, emphasizing that meaningful progress requires coordinated collaboration between national government agencies, civil society organizations, and private sector stakeholders.

    Quesada confirmed that the policy was built on extensive empirical data and months of targeted consultations with groups across Saint Lucia, ensuring that the framework reflects the unique realities of the country’s current migration landscape, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all model designed for other regions. Looking across the broader Caribbean region, Quesada highlighted that nearly all countries in the area face growing demographic decline and acute labor shortages that threaten long-term economic stability. Saint Lucia’s proactive policy, he argued, offers a replicable model for turning migration into a solution to these shared challenges. By leveraging migration strategically, countries can close critical workforce gaps, strengthen national resilience, and lay the groundwork for sustained development. “Saint Lucia is showing what developing a migration policy that is fit for purpose and forward-looking can achieve for the entire region,” Quesada added.

    Julian Dubois, Saint Lucia’s Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs, used the launch to center the conversation on the untapped potential of the country’s global diaspora population. Dubois called for a fundamental paradigm shift in how nations view emigration, moving beyond the outdated framing of “brain drain” to a new model of “brain gain” and global “brain circulation.”

    Rather than viewing migration of skilled workers as a net loss for the country, Dubois argued that cross-border movement of Saint Lucians is a strategic national asset. “Migration is not just a statistic, it is a living, breathing bridge” connecting Saint Lucia to global expertise, cutting-edge innovation, and new streams of international investment, he explained. “The island of Saint Lucia may be bounded by 238 square miles of beautiful Caribbean land, but the nation of Saint Lucia is global. Effective migration management is the key that unlocks this global potential.”

    Dubois urged all public and private stakeholders to strengthen diaspora engagement through modern, structured mechanisms, including expanded cross-border knowledge exchange programs and targeted investment incentives, to unlock the full development potential of Saint Lucians living and working abroad. He noted that while remittances already play a critical role in supporting household economic stability across the island, policy frameworks must go further to encourage long-term productive investment and broad-based economic transformation that benefits all Saint Lucians.

    The launch of the draft policy opens a period of public consultation, during which stakeholders and members of the public will have the opportunity to provide feedback before the final policy is formally adopted. Regional development observers have already highlighted Saint Lucia’s initiative as a potential blueprint for other small island developing states across the Caribbean grappling with similar demographic and economic challenges.

  • PM secures critical energy, trade, and security alliances

    PM secures critical energy, trade, and security alliances

    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.

  • Diaz-Canel accuses US of trying to discredit leader Raul Castro

    Diaz-Canel accuses US of trying to discredit leader Raul Castro

    Cuba’s head of state has issued a scathing rejection of newly unveiled U.S. government accusations targeting former Cuban leader Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, framing the charges as a transparent display of Washington’s long-standing arrogance and mounting frustration over the Cuban Revolution’s unyielding principles and the unified moral standing of its leadership. In an official statement posted to the social platform X, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel underscored that the allegations are a purely politically motivated maneuver, completely devoid of any legitimate legal foundation.

    Díaz-Canel argued the move is designed solely to prop up a manufactured narrative that Washington can use to justify what he called the reckless ambition of potential military aggression against Cuba. “The United States is lying,” he stated firmly, accusing U.S. authorities of deliberately distorting the facts surrounding the 1996 downing of aircraft belonging to the anti-Castro group Brothers to the Rescue, which the Cuban government has long labeled a narco-terrorist organization.

    The Cuban president emphasized that his country holds extensive, well-documented evidence proving that Havana did not act recklessly, nor did it violate international law when it downed the planes. He contrasted Cuba’s actions with the consistent pattern of U.S. military conduct, pointing to what he described as cold, premeditated, publicly acknowledged extrajudicial killings of civilian vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific regions carried out by American forces.

    Díaz-Canel reaffirmed that the 1996 incident, which took place on February 24, was a clear exercise of legitimate self-defense within Cuba’s own territorial waters. He explained that the aircraft had repeatedly violated Cuban airspace in dangerous incursions organized by well-documented terrorists, and that the U.S. government in power at the time had been warned more than 12 times about the activity. Despite these repeated warnings, Washington chose to ignore the notifications and allowed the violations to continue.

    He went on to defend Raúl Castro’s personal and professional legacy, noting that the veteran revolutionary leader’s long record of ethical leadership and commitment to human-centered values directly contradicts every slanderous claim leveled against him. Throughout his career as a guerrilla commander and head of state, Raúl Castro earned the profound love of the Cuban people, as well as widespread respect and admiration from global and regional leaders, Díaz-Canel added. These deeply rooted, widely recognized moral values, he concluded, serve as both the former leader’s strongest defense and an impenetrable moral shield against what he called the absurd effort to undermine his standing as a heroic figure in Cuban history.

  • UWP raises alarm over crime and governance

    UWP raises alarm over crime and governance

    Opposition political group the United Workers Party (UWP) has launched a scathing rebuke of the Saint Lucia government’s management of public safety and national development, arguing that the island nation’s ongoing surge in violent crime is a direct product of long-running structural gaps and incompetent leadership.

    Speaking at a formal press conference, former Member of Parliament for Vieux Fort North Calixte Xavier broke down the roots of the current crisis, emphasizing that the unchecked crime wave gripping the country did not materialize suddenly. “Crime at this level does not emerge overnight. It takes time,” he noted, attributing the escalation to expanding transnational criminal networks, unregulated flow of illegal firearms across borders, and a reactive governance style that lacks proactive long-term strategy.

    Xavier cast doubt on the tangible impact of the government’s recent public safety interventions, pointing out that even after increasing police deployments, allocating new law enforcement equipment, reshuffling the security ministry, and imposing a 2.5% national levy for health and security initiatives, the island has yet to record a sustained drop in homicide rates.

    He further criticized gaps in border security framework and weak support for frontline law enforcement, highlighting concerning missteps including the disbandment of the police canine unit, non-functional border scanning equipment, and plummeting morale among ranks of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force. “Our security begins at our borders,” Xavier said, adding that the poor treatment of serving officers has directly eroded their ability to carry out their duties effectively.

    Beyond systemic failures, Xavier drew attention to the devastating human and social toll of persistent violent crime, from the chronic trauma endured by victims, their families, and first responders to the unaddressed mental health burden placed on police officers who repeatedly respond to violent incidents. He revealed that the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force currently has no dedicated in-house counsellor to support officers dealing with occupational trauma, a gap he described as a “a bigger problem” that exacerbates existing morale issues.

    Xavier also outlined the crippling financial strain that violent crime places on affected households, noting that the loss of a breadwinner and unexpected medical bills often push already vulnerable families into severe economic hardship. Echoing widespread public discontent, he stressed: “We are tired of speeches. We are tired of promises. We want safety, we want leadership.”

    UWP Second Deputy Political Leader Dominic Fedee expanded on the party’s critique, framing rising crime as a visible symptom of far deeper failures in governance, economic planning and national priority-setting. He warned that Saint Lucia is effectively “drifting” at a moment when clear, decisive strategic direction is most needed.

    Fedee pointed out that the government has controlled substantial financial resources from international loans and the island’s popular Citizenship by Investment Programme, yet the public still remains gripped by feelings of insecurity, uncertainty and distrust in the government’s national direction. “The issue confronting Saint Lucia was never simply a lack of money; the issue was a lack of priorities,” he explained.

    He called for sweeping improvements to transparency and accountability, particularly for public funds generated through the citizenship by investment initiative, noting that “the people of Saint Lucia deserve transparency, they deserve accountability.”

    Fedee argued that the absence of long-term strategic planning has directly fueled broader social ills including rising youth unemployment, weakened community cohesion, and growing social instability. “When governments fail to create opportunity, fail to plan strategically… criminal networks eventually begin filling the vacuum,” he said, underscoring the direct causal link between economic mismanagement and rising crime.

    He also issued a stark warning that the ongoing surge in violence threatens to damage Saint Lucia’s $tourism sector$, the central pillar of the island’s national economy. Rising instability and negative international press could deter international visitors and drive away critical foreign investment, Fedee argued, noting: “A country cannot market paradise abroad while instability spreads at home.”

    In addition to security failures, Fedee criticized the government’s ad-hoc, unplanned approach to national development projects, which he said has disproportionately harmed informal vendors and artisanal fisherfolk. He claimed there is no cohesive national policy to protect vulnerable groups when large-scale redevelopment projects move forward, leaving marginalized communities to bear the brunt of poorly planned growth.

    Fedee concluded by emphasizing that Saint Lucia needs comprehensive, long-term solutions rather than short-term, reactive fixes. “Band-aids cannot replace nation building,” he said, renewing the UWP’s call for strategic forward planning, greater governmental accountability, and equitable sustainable development across the island.

  • LIVE FROM 11AM: UWP Press Conference 21st May 2026

    LIVE FROM 11AM: UWP Press Conference 21st May 2026

    Local media outlet DNO has announced that it will provide uninterrupted live coverage of an upcoming press conference held by the United Workers Party (UWP), set to kick off at 11 a.m. local time on the same day this announcement was made.

    The UWP, a major political organization in its region, has scheduled this press briefing to address current political topics of public interest, and the live broadcast arrangement will allow audiences across digital platforms to access real-time updates directly from the event without delay.

    DNO, which regularly covers local political developments and public events, made this announcement via its digital channels, prompting local residents and political observers to prepare to tune in for the latest official statements from the UWP leadership.

  • Vertrouwenscrisis bij SBB: minister Soeropawiro wil ontslag Ruben Ravenberg

    Vertrouwenscrisis bij SBB: minister Soeropawiro wil ontslag Ruben Ravenberg

    A high-stakes leadership dispute has erupted at Suriname’s leading forest management regulatory body, with Minister of Land and Forestry Policy (GBB) Stanley Soeropawiro formally requesting permission from the dismissal committee of the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Labor to remove Ruben Ravenberg, general director of the Stichting Bosbeheer en Bostoezicht (SBB), from his post. In his formal request, the minister cites compelling, weighty grounds for the termination, outlined in a written submission to the independent committee. Soeropawiro points to two core issues: a severely broken working relationship between Ravenberg and the SBB board, and documented irregularities surrounding Ravenberg’s official employment status. The conflict centers on what is described as a “parallel agreement” that was put in place alongside Ravenberg’s standard indefinite-term employment contract. According to the minister, this secondary agreement was created without required legal authorization, specifically lacking an official mandate from the Council of Ministers. This action, he argues, directly violates SBB’s foundational statutes, which explicitly state that the organization’s director must be appointed, suspended, and dismissed by the minister on the nomination of the board. Beyond the contractual irregularity, Soeropawiro emphasizes that a deep, irreparable trust crisis between Ravenberg and the SBB governing board has created a full administrative deadlock, making productive continuation of the employment relationship impossible to maintain. In response to the allegations, Ravenberg has pushed back aggressively, pushing a narrative that frames the termination attempt as a politically motivated purge rooted in past administration mistakes being pinned on him. Speaking to local outlet Starnieuws, the SBB director confirmed the existence of the parallel agreement, but insists the contract was finalized under the authority of former GBB Minister Dinotha Vorswijk. What is an error of the previous administration, he argues, is now being wrongfully blamed on him to push him out of the role. Ravenberg further claims the dismissal effort is driven by hidden political interests, alleging that three candidates have already been shortlisted to replace him. He calls the effort a conspiracy that serves personal and political agendas, noting that SBB’s own statutes work against the group pushing for his ouster. During a February 27 meeting with Soeropawiro, which was also attended by member of the National Assembly Bronto Somohardjo, Ravenberg made clear that he would not allow his reputation and professional integrity to be undermined, and that he is prepared to pursue legal action to defend his position if necessary. The director has provided the dismissal committee with a full account of the meeting, telling the body that his version of events contradicts the narrative put forward by the SBB board and the minister. For his part, Soeropawiro confirms that the meeting failed to resolve the existing conflict. Ravenberg was formally interviewed by the dismissal committee on Wednesday, with the committee announcing it will issue a final ruling on the minister’s termination request on June 5. The outcome of the case will have significant implications for governance of Suriname’s critical forestry sector, which forms a core part of the country’s economy and environmental policy.

  • Appeal Court Overturns EC$176,500 Award Against Digicel

    Appeal Court Overturns EC$176,500 Award Against Digicel

    A key appellate court has thrown out a previous multi-thousand dollar compensation award against regional telecommunications giant Digicel, ruling the company was unjustly denied a fundamental right to a fair legal process in the original employment dispute. On 19 May, the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal officially vacated the September 2023 ruling from the lower Industrial Court, which had ordered Digicel to pay former employee Karl Skepple a total of EC$176,500 in compensation for alleged unfair dismissal. The appellate judges have now ordered that the entire dispute be reheard by a newly assembled Industrial Court tribunal.

    The case stretches back nearly a decade, to August 2015, when Digicel terminated Skepple’s employment following an internal disciplinary investigation. The company moved to dismiss Skepple after substantiating allegations that he had made unwanted inappropriate sexual advances toward a fellow member of staff. Six years after his termination, in 2016, Skepple launched a formal legal claim against Digicel at the Industrial Court, arguing his dismissal was unlawful and unfair.

    In the original 2023 proceeding, the Industrial Court moved forward with its full hearing and ultimately ruled in Skepple’s favor despite the complete absence of any legal representation for Digicel or any company representative to present the firm’s side of the case. The tribunal subsequently granted the former employee the EC$176,500 award, which covered both lost earnings and damages for unfair dismissal.

    Digicel immediately challenged the ruling on appeal, arguing that the original Industrial Court tribunal had violated the company’s constitutionally protected right to a fair hearing. The telecom firm’s legal team explained that counsel had requested an adjournment of the original hearing due to an unresolvable scheduling conflict with a separate ongoing matter in the High Court, noting that Digicel’s attorney had only received five full days’ advance notice of the Industrial Court hearing date. That request for an adjournment was rejected by the original tribunal.

    After reviewing the appeal, appellate judges concluded that the lower Industrial Court had improperly handled the adjournment request: rather than conducting a full assessment of the merits of Digicel’s reasoning for seeking a delay, the tribunal improperly centered its decision solely on whether Skepple’s legal team consented to the adjournment.

    While the appellate court did publicly criticize Digicel for its own procedural missteps in the case, specifically repeated delays in filing required witness statements, judges emphasized that these shortcomings did not forfeit the company’s core legal rights to cross-examine opposing witnesses and present formal legal arguments to the tribunal. In its written judgment, the Court of Appeal underscored that “The right to legal representation and the right to be heard are fundamental entitlements.”

    With the original ruling now fully set aside, the entire dispute will return to the Industrial Court for a complete new hearing before a different panel of tribunal members, allowing both parties to fully present their cases in line with constitutional fair hearing requirements.

  • FM Chet Greene Attends CARICOM Foreign Ministers Meeting in Suriname

    FM Chet Greene Attends CARICOM Foreign Ministers Meeting in Suriname

    As the 15-nation Caribbean bloc CARICOM navigates a turbulent landscape of evolving global and hemispheric shifts, its top leader is sounding the call for deeper coordination among member states to project a unified, influential voice on the international stage.

    On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett delivered opening remarks to foreign affairs ministers gathered in Paramaribo, Suriname, for the 29th Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), emphasizing that collective action is not a choice for the bloc’s small island and coastal nations—it is a non-negotiable necessity.

    Barnett framed the current global moment as one defined by rapid systemic shifts that reshape regional economies, cross-border trade partnerships and core foreign policy priorities for every CARICOM member. She reminded attending delegates that policy decisions emerging from COFCOR and other CARICOM governing bodies carry direct, tangible impacts on the economic prosperity and social well-being of the bloc’s 16 million citizens, pushing for outcomes that will reinforce the entire community’s long-term resilience amid uncertainty.

    Against this backdrop of shifting global dynamics, Barnett outlined the bloc’s ongoing diplomatic strategy: strengthening long-standing partnerships with traditional allies while expanding diplomatic outreach to new global partners. During the 29th COFCOR meeting, CARICOM delegates are scheduled to hold targeted discussions with representatives from Japan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, focusing on areas of mutual strategic and economic interest.

    Looking forward to the remainder of 2026, the Secretary-General stressed the critical need for coordinated, bloc-wide preparation for a packed slate of high-stakes global diplomatic gatherings that will shape outcomes on CARICOM’s top priority issues. These key issues include advancing reparatory justice for colonial-era harms, stabilizing the ongoing crisis in Haiti, addressing the accelerating impacts of climate change, securing equitable access to climate finance for vulnerable small states, and upholding global peace and security. The upcoming major events include the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting set to be hosted in Antigua and Barbuda, the annual United Nations General Assembly, the Organization of American States General Assembly, and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31).

    “One of our Caribbean Community’s greatest strengths is our ability to project a united voice,” Barnett told attendees, noting that this collective unity is the only tool that allows small developing states to meaningfully shape global decision-making processes that directly impact their futures. While she acknowledged the inherent challenges of balancing individual national priorities with shared regional goals, Barnett reaffirmed that cross-member coordination remains an essential foundation for CARICOM’s success. “None of our small nations can effectively confront these challenges in isolation. Working together is therefore not an option, it is an imperative,” she added.

    Founded in 1973 via the Treaty of Chaguaramas—revised in 2001 to establish a regional single market and economy—CARICOM counts 15 full member states and six associate members, with a total population of roughly 16 million people, 60 percent of whom are under the age of 30. The bloc organizes its work around four core pillars: economic integration, coordinated foreign policy, human and social development, and cross-border security cooperation. Widely recognized as one of the most successful regional integration projects in the developing world, CARICOM aims to build an inclusive, resilient, and competitive global bloc that guarantees human rights, social justice, and equal opportunity for all citizens to thrive and share in shared prosperity. The CARICOM Secretariat, the organization’s central administrative body, is headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana.

  • Antigua and Barbuda and Japan engage in bilateral talks at the 29th Meeting of the COFCOR

    Antigua and Barbuda and Japan engage in bilateral talks at the 29th Meeting of the COFCOR

    Against the backdrop of growing diplomatic engagement between Caribbean nations and Asian global powers, senior diplomatic representatives from Antigua and Barbuda and Japan convened for targeted bilateral talks on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. The discussions took place on the margins of the 29th Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) gathering, hosted this year in Paramaribo, the capital of the Republic of Suriname.

    Leading the delegations were two senior officials: E.P. Chet Greene, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, and Eri Arfiya, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. The meeting centered on advancing mutual cooperation and aligning shared priorities across a range of regional and global issues.

    Opening the formal dialogue, Vice-Minister Arfiya extended formal congratulations to Minister Greene on the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s (ABLP) recent victory in the country’s general election, securing the party’s renewed mandate to govern. She also expressed gratitude for Greene’s high-profile visit to Japan during the 2025 Osaka Expo, an official engagement that she noted had significantly strengthened the bonds of solidarity between the two nations.

    In his response, Minister Greene commended the longstanding positive diplomatic relations between the two countries. He also thanked Japan for its consistent, sustained support to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) across four critical policy areas: climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, reform of the global financial architecture, and advancing inclusive sustainable development across the Caribbean region.

    Greene used the bilateral meeting as an opportunity to formally request Japanese support for transportation logistics ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Vice-Minister Arfiya indicated that the request received favorable consideration from the Japanese delegation, moving it forward in the official review process.

    A key topic of long-term strategic discussion was the potential for Antigua and Barbuda to establish a permanent diplomatic mission in Tokyo. Both sides agreed to revisit the proposal once Antigua and Barbuda completes the required feasibility studies to assess the practical and financial viability of the new mission.

    Beyond bilateral priorities, the two officials reaffirmed their shared commitment to core global principles: mutual respect for democracy, national sovereignty, and adherence to international law. They also exchanged views on ongoing negotiations surrounding United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform, and conducted a review of existing Japanese development projects currently underway across Antigua and Barbuda.

  • Nieuwe mijlpaal in China-Rusland relatie: 20 akkoorden getekend

    Nieuwe mijlpaal in China-Rusland relatie: 20 akkoorden getekend

    On May 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded a high-profile state visit to China, marking a landmark milestone in the bilateral relationship between the two major global powers. During the visit, hosted at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the two leaders held in-depth strategic talks that resulted in the signing of 20 new bilateral cooperation agreements spanning key sectors including economy, trade, education and science. The official signing ceremony took place immediately following the closed-door and plenary talks between the two heads of state, capping a day of diplomatic engagements designed to strengthen the longstanding strategic partnership between the two nations.

    This year’s visit carries unique historical weight: 2026 marks both the 25th anniversary of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ strategic coordination partnership. President Xi emphasized during the talks that the 1996 treaty forms the solid legal foundation for enduring friendship, deep mutual political trust, and comprehensive strategic cooperation between China and Russia.

    As permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Xi stated, China and Russia share a common responsibility to work jointly toward building a more just and balanced system of global governance. He called for advancing high-quality, wide-ranging bilateral cooperation to drive the development and revitalization of both nations, urging expanded practical collaboration in priority areas including energy, cross-border trade, technology, innovation, and infrastructure development. Xi also highlighted the critical importance of strengthening people-to-people exchanges across the spheres of culture, education, and sports to deepen public support for bilateral ties.

    For his part, Putin confirmed that contemporary Russia-China relations have reached an unprecedented high level, characterized by robust political alignment, steadily growing bilateral trade volumes, and deepening integration in sectors including energy logistics, cross-border supply chains, and scientific research. He described the current China-Russia relationship as a model for strategic coordination in the 21st century, confirming Russia’s full readiness to work alongside China to strengthen cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS, APEC, and the United Nations, while upholding the core principles of international law in global affairs.

    Beyond bilateral cooperation, the two leaders held extensive discussions on pressing global and regional issues, including the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East. They also received official progress updates from intergovernmental joint commissions on ongoing cross-sector cooperation initiatives. Putin’s visit began with a full formal welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, featuring a 21-gun salute and an inspection of a guard of honor by the two leaders. Later that same evening, President Xi hosted an official state banquet in honor of President Putin, attended by senior Chinese government and Communist Party officials.