Brazil-CARICOM summit to be held before year end – CARICOM Chair

Acknowledging that the bilateral relationship between Brazil and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) needs to be accelerated, the Brazil-CARICOM Summit will be hosted before the end of 2024, after being held more than a decade ago.

Incumbent CARICOM Chair, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali made the announcement at a press conference culminating the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.

President Ali highlighted that the community and the South-American country are aligned on many fronts including climate financing, security, and the humanitarian crisis in Haiti among other critical issues.

This new development, of course, follows Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s special appearance on the final day of the Meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM.

“We’re very much aligned and more importantly, there is an important decision that was taken to accelerate the relationship of CARICOM and Brazil and the various opportunities to foster and build food security and integrate our infrastructure,” President Ali disclosed in his engagement with media operatives Wednesday evening.

Earlier in the day, President Ali announced the operationalisation of a CARICOM-Brazil joint commission focused on food, energy and climate security. Its first meeting is slated to be held later this year. The commission emanated from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CARICOM and Brazil in 2010.

He emphasized that with the commission, a stronger platform for dialogue will be in place and will provide a unique opportunity to build a better future together.

“By engaging in regular dialogue and collaborating on joint projects, we can build a more robust and mutually beneficial partnership,” the chair had underscored.

The head of state also pitched several areas for cooperation including climate adaptation and mitigation, recognising the leadership role Brazil plays in these critical areas.

President Lula in his engagement with Caribbean leaders expressed Brazil’s solid support for the region’s food security and regional integration, noting that his country will renew and extend its presence in the Caribbean, in the name of mutual development.