CARICOM’s Chair, Dr. Carla N. Barnett, has described 2023 as a landmark year for the Caribbean Community and she said that free movement of all CARICOM nationals as mandated by the Heads of Government is expected to be in place by March 2024.CARICOM this year marked the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the original Treaty of Chaguaramas with festivities across the Region. A press release from Barnett’s office said the Region’s 50th Anniversary occasion “allowed us to reflect on our accomplishments, and recommit to the vision of the CARICOM’s founders.” “The past 50 years,” the release continued, “have taught us that with collective action we can achieve significantly more. With one voice we decried the devastating wars that have precipitated humanitarian crises and signaled our support for the adherence to the fundamental principles of international law, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity, most recently in the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy.” CARICOM, the release noted, also continued its strong advocacy for international support to help return Haiti, to peace and stability, and to support the War on Guns which is negatively impacting security across the Region.
The release discussed progress on programmes and policies as agreed to by CARICOM Member States Heads of Government including the 25% by 2025 initiative to reduce the Region’s food import bill, purposeful engagements with regional and international partners, and forums such as CARICOM’s flagship event, the Caribbean Week of Agriculture, which allowed for meaningful interaction with the private sector and other stakeholders.
Barnett highlighted the outcomes from COP28 and identified the Region’s vulnerabilities. “Our advocacy for decisive action to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change continued throughout the year, including at COP28 where we emphasised the vulnerabilities of our Region, the need to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund, and the special case for acknowledgement of the extreme vulnerability of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and countries with low-lying coastal communities who do not contribute significantly to the cause of climate change but bear the greatest burden.” CARICOM, Barnett said, welcomed the call to Parties for a just transition to renewable energy and reduced methane emissions, but recognized that this does not go far enough.
Barnett called for the transition to be wider and said it requires much greater urgency of action by the major emitters. Peaking emissions before 2025 and timelines for elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, starting now, are needed to safeguard the 1.5 degrees centigrade global warming temperature limit, the release said, adding that the Region needs to advance international partnerships and mechanisms to protect and promote its socio-economic interests. “Deliberate efforts were made, such as through the regional Youth Forum held in Jamaica in November, to include the perspectives and participation of our young people, whose input is critical to the sustainability of our efforts”, the release said.
As the Region enters 2024, Barnett said that CARICOM Secretariat will continue to diligently administer the Community’s priorities of deepening economic integration and trade, strengthening foreign policy coordination and community relations and human and social development, sustainable development, and regional security. In particular, the Secretariat will focus its efforts to implement the free movement of all CARICOM nationals within the Community by March 2024 as determined by Heads of Government. “I extend sincere thanks to Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, their Ministers and senior officials, for their commitment to regional integration and the implementation of programmes and policies to improve the lives of the people of the Region. Special thanks also to our international partners, the private sector, labour organisations, and to the civil society groups which have responded so positively to the Secretariat’s efforts towards more structured engagement,” Barnett said.
The release continued, “Through it all, the staff of the CARICOM Secretariat have been propelling the initiatives crafted to improve the quality of lives of our people. My heartfelt appreciation to all. Underpinning all we do is a deep desire for a “Community for all”, that is safe, increasingly prosperous and where our men, women and young people will flourish for generations to come. I invite your continued participation in the process to advance this goal. I wish for one and all a happy and safe end to this year, and peace and prosperity for 2024.”
