Caribbean News
CARICOM Leaders team up for Summit in Saudi Arabia
Joint Statement, Saudi Arabia – CARICOM Summit
Andrew Holness
November 25, 2023 – At the kind invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Leadership of Saudi Arabia and the Leaders of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) met in Riyadh, on 16 November 2023 for the inaugural Saudi Arabia-CARICOM Summit. The Summit was co-chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica, with the participation of Heads of State and/or Government of CARICOM and the CARICOM Secretary-General.
Prime Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne
Reaffirming their mutual interests and friendly relations, the leaders exchanged views on issues of common interest and discussed ways to further expand and advance their partnership to take advantage of the growth opportunities that can be utilized through cooperation between their two dynamic regions based on a shared vision and the values embodied in the United Nations (UN) Charter. The leaders hereby declare to:
- Join efforts to promote peace, security, stability and prosperity, through mutual respect and cooperation between countries and regions, to achieve sustainable development and progress and maintain the rules-based international order based on adherence to international law and the UN Charter.
- Undertake consultations and explore cooperation on specific areas of common interest between both sides, namely education scholarships), health, maritime cooperation, connectivity, logistics, food security, energy security, tourism economic and other possible areas of cooperation, where appropriate, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- Strengthen ties between the two sides, at the multilateral and bilateral levels, and in global fora by pursuing opportunities for sustainable development, peace, security and stability, tourism infrastructure development, as well as creating business opportunities in the ICT/Global Digital Services sector and boosting trade and investment flows by creating mutually beneficial opportunities for joint investments, with special emphasis on
Hon Mia Amor Mottley
sustainable infrastructure, renewables, trade, tourism, logistics, and connectivity.
- Promote trade and investment relations between Saudi Arabia and CARICOM, by enhancing public-private partnership and business-to-business relations between both regions, using available and new physical and online platforms, trade missions, exhibitions, seminars, conferences, and dialogue.
- Support Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh, highlighting the importance of organizing regional and international exhibitions to reenergize economic and cultural exchanges between the Saudi Arabia and CARICOM, mindful that individual CARICOM Member States have pledged their support for Saudi Arabia’s candidature to host Expo 2030.
- Cooperate in the development of sustainable and circular agriculture and in the promotion of sustainable food production, sustainable use and management of water resources and promote trade and investment opportunities in food and agri-based industries and encourage the exchange of information, sharing of experiences, research, modern technologies and best practices, as well as through conducting capacity building
President Dr. Irfaan Ali
activities.
- Promote dialogue among the peoples and cultures of both sides to enhance trust, and advance mutual understanding and greater respect for diversity, thus contributing to a culture of peace.
- Build on the two regions’ cultural diversity, openness and rich history to stress that tolerance and peaceful coexistence are among the most important values and principles for friendly relations between nations and cultures.
- Promote the cultural and creative industries of CARICOM and Saudi Arabia through cultural festivals, art exhibitions, film festivals, workshops, book fairs and other events. Furthermore, encourage
the exchange of best practices and capacity building in the areas of museology, protection, conservation and restoration of cultural and historical heritage. - Promote cooperation in the area of tourism, including heritage, cruise, sustainable and ecotourism, medical and wellness, tourism, by undertaking benchmarking activities, joint tourism investments, and strengthening capacity-building.
Hon Dr. Terrance Drew
- Stress the importance and urgency of promoting joint action towards mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts, protecting the environment and developing low carbon and clean energy technologies.
- Reaffirm the importance of working together to confront the global challenges related to climate change, committing to all efforts to address this urgent issue by setting and achieving ambitious goals to reduce emissions, adopting renewable energy production, and clean technologies including for abatement and removal, promoting equitable promoting equitable access to climate financing for Small
Island Developing States (SIDS) to support mitigation and adaptation measures, and finding innovative technical solutions that will accelerate the transition to low-emission economies, and continuing to
explore sustainable and inclusive pathways to implement the goals of the Paris Agreement. - Welcome Saudi Arabia’s Middle East Green Initiative (MGI), and its announcement to establish and host a
Prime Minister Honourable Dickon Mitchell
dedicated MGI Secretariat and allocate US $2.5 billion to support MGI projects and governance.
- Support the announcement by Saudi Arabia about the establishment of an international water organization based in Riyadh, calling for further decisive global action.
- Stress the important role that CARICOM and the Saudi Arabia can play in hosting major sporting events, the Summit endorsed the candidacy of Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. And Welcoming that the Caribbean will host the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024 and Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
- Recognize the important initiatives arrived at by Saudi Arabia and CARICOM in their respective regions, and decided to hold the Second Saudi Arabia-CARICOM Summit in 2026.
John Briceno
- CARICOM Leaders expressed their appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to the Government and People of Saudi Arabia for their hospitality.
Prime Minister, Hon. Philip J. Pierre
Issued in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 16 November 2023
CAPTIONS
Header: CARICOM IN SAUDI ARABIA
1st insert Prime Minister Andrew Holness: At the invitation of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, I am in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with fellow Caricom Heads, for the inaugural Caricom-Saudi Arabia Summit in the capital city of Riyadh.
I extend thanks to His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Riyadh Region for the warm welcome following my arrival at the King Khalid International Airport today.
Jamaica continues to pursue investment and partnership opportunities for our national development and looks forward to robust discussions with Saudi Arabia, for our mutual benefit.
2nd insert: Prime Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne and members of the Antigua and Barbuda delegation departed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Caribbean on Friday following a successful First CARICOM/Saudi Arabia summit in Riyadh.
3rd insert: Ahead of the inaugural Saudi Arabia-CARICOM Summit, Hon Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados held talks with Their Excellencies Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance and Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to follow-up on a number of discussions already in progress.
4th insert: President Dr. Irfaan Ali and other CARICOM leaders held a round table meeting with members of the Saudi Arabian Government today as part of the CARICOM-Saudi Arabia Summit.
The CARICOM delegation also met with the Crowned Prince, HE Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
The one-day event is being held in the capital city of Riyadh.
5th insert: CARICOM-Saudi Arabia Summit – Welcoming His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Energy seen here with Hon Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis.
6th insert: Prime Minister Honourable Dickon Mitchell, alongside fellow Caribbean Heads of Government, actively participated in a Saudi–CARICOM Investment Roundtable. The session welcomed prominent figures from major Saudi private sector companies, fostering an environment conducive to exploring investment prospects.
The primary goals of this meeting were to spotlight the appealing investment landscapes in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the CARICOM countries. Additionally, it aimed to forge new partnerships between entities from CARICOM nations and Saudi Arabia, with a specific focus on identifying investment opportunities within the Caribbean and establishing robust connections with Saudi companies.
This collaboration underscores our commitment to cultivating mutually beneficial partnerships that enhance economic growth and development in our nation.
7th insert: We thank our new bilateral partner Saudi Arabia for hosting our Belize delegation and those of our CARICOM Countries as we arrive in Riyadh to participate in the Saudi-CARICOM Summit.
I thank Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz and his delegation for the warm welcome at the King Khalid International Airport.
8th insert: Prime Minister, Hon. Philip J. Pierre, forms part of the official delegation of CARICOM Heads of Government (HoGs) that will participate in the inaugural CARICOM-Saudi Summit (The Summit).
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will receive the Prime Minister and the accompanying delegations of CARICOM HoGs for The Summit. The Summit will commence on November 16, 2023.
The Summit facilitates opportunities for Saint Lucia and CARICOM to extend avenues of cooperation on trade and investment, renewable energy, climate change and sustainable development with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Under the stewardship of Prime Minister Pierre, diplomatic relations between the Government of Saint Lucia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have elevated – yielding significant inflows of financing support for capital projects and technical cooperation to advance the development of productive sectors, key to the development of Saint Lucia’s economy.
Minister for Education, Hon. Shawn Edward, will act as Prime Minister of Saint Lucia from November 14, 2023 to November 18, 2023.
How Venezuelan farmers are learning to grow and live with a devastating plant disease
In the fields of Venezuela, where the banana has been for generations a symbol of sustenance and tradition, a shadow fell across the land. In 2023, Venezuela’s National Institute of Integral Agricultural Health (INSAI) declared a phytosanitary emergency: the fungus Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4) (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4; syn. Fusarium odoratissimum) had arrived in producing areas in the states of Aragua, Carabobo and Cojedes.
This fungus, considered a devastating disease of banana and plantain (Musaceae) trees, can remain in the soil for more than two decades,
threatening production and the lives of those who depend on it.
In the state of Aragua in the north of the country, the Renacer community had been growing bananas and plantains on 20 hectares since 2018. Then Fusarium arrived.
“When the disease hit, the entire plantation began to deteriorate. We refused to ‘die’ with the trees because that was our livelihood. The visits of INSAI confirmed that we had to chop down the banana trees. I cried a lot because I had worked with my banana trees for years,” recalls woman farmer, Lesbia Margarita García, with a broken voice.
In response, INSAI implemented measures to eliminate the affected plantations and improve the soil health by changing to other crops that allow agricultural production to recover. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) offered assistance by providing corn seeds, tools, biosecurity inputs and training, with teams of experts helping farmers to start again.
“Planting corn, thanks to the INSAI-FAO programme, gave us a harvest that benefited everyone. We have been improving the soil,” says Lesbia Margarita with a smile. “Now we rotate crops, observe soil health and have learned how to use natural fertilizers. Expert assistance has been key.”
The pilot project works directly with affected producers in high-risk areas, promoting alternative crops such as cereals and vegetables, delivering inputs and tools to mitigate damage and applying biosecurity measures for safe and effective containment.
“Beyond the corn received, we have already planted cassava, chili peppers, beans and pumpkin. We hope that by the end of the year [2025] we will be diversified and that each season we will have something to sell. These lands do not give up,” says Lesbia Margarita with conviction.
The Renacer community is beginning to see fruits. Their products are reaching local markets, generating income and rebuilding their livelihoods.
Key actions to manage Fusarium TR4 are ongoing, including regular monitoring, continuous training, inter‑institutional coordination,
updates to the national plan, information campaigns and producer impact assessments. INSAI is sustaining regulatory, surveillance measures and training —with FAO support—as part of a comprehensive long‑term strategy.
At the global level, FAO supports awareness raising, capacity building and international collaboration in the fight against Fusarium TR4 by facilitating the World Banana Forum and its Global Network on TR4.
“The objective is for countries to strengthen their operational and technical capacity, articulating actions between the public sector, the private sector and family farmers,” says Raixa Llauger, FAO Agriculture Officer in Mesoamerica. “FAO and local partners have promoted this approach in Venezuela.”
As an essential part of the activities, a comprehensive training programme was developed with activities that taught farmers how to identify the disease contain it and protect crops. In addition, FAO has distributed laboratory equipment, biosecurity tools and a multispectral drone to INSAI. Drones are an efficient and cost‑effective tool for phytosanitary surveillance, offering rapid, high‑resolution monitoring and early detection of plant pests and diseases.
Overall, the project strengthened biosecurity measures against the Fusarium fungus through the adoption of the National Action Plan and the establishment of partnerships with national and international institutions. In addition, the pilot initiative supporting smallholder farmers in key production areas and a nationwide awareness campaign with broad outreach improved surveillance, diagnosis and phytosanitary response capacities across the country.
MIAMI, Florida — Emotional testimony from Martine Moïse, the widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, has given
jurors in a U.S. federal courtroom a chilling account of the night gunmen stormed the presidential residence and killed the country’s leader.
Martine Moïse took the stand this week in Miami as part of the ongoing trial of several men accused of helping plan and finance the July 7, 2021 assassination, a crime that plunged Haiti into political crisis and remains only partially solved.
She told the court that armed men forced their way into the president’s private home in the hills above Port-au-Prince during the early morning hours, firing multiple shots at her husband while she lay beside him. She testified that she was also wounded in the attack and survived by pretending to be dead until the gunmen left the room.
According to prosecutors, the plot involved a group of foreign mercenaries, including former Colombian soldiers, along with Haitian and
Haitian-American suspects. Investigators say some of the men believed the mission was to detain the president, but the operation turned into an assassination.
The Miami trial is focusing on the alleged role of South Florida businessmen and others accused of organizing or financing the plan, part of a wider international investigation that has stretched across several countries.
More than four years after the killing, the question of who ultimately ordered the assassination remains unanswered, with suspects still in custody in both Haiti and the United States as the case continues to unfold.
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CARIBBEAN — Jamaica has become the 13th CARICOM member state to accede to the African Export-Import Bank Establishment Agreement, further strengthening economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.
The development was confirmed during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where an Afreximbank delegation led by George Elombi and Kanayo Awani met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness to advance cooperation.
Prime Minister Holness thanked the bank for its support following Jamaica’s recent hurricane, noting that Afreximbank financing helped restore critical infrastructure including water, electricity, sewage systems and roads, while also assisting reconstruction efforts aimed
at building stronger resilience to future disasters.
The meeting also focused on broader development opportunities tied to Jamaica’s membership in the agreement. Discussions included rebuilding and modernising infrastructure such as railways, hospitals and other public facilities, while strengthening regional transportation and trade networks to improve the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.
Afreximbank has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean as part of its strategy to connect Africa with the region often referred to as “Global Africa.” The bank has already committed billions of dollars in financing and trade support to Caribbean economies in recent years, including funding for infrastructure, trade facilitation and private sector investment.
By joining the agreement, Jamaica gains expanded access to Afreximbank’s financial instruments, technical support and trade networks designed to promote commerce between Africa and CARICOM states.
Regional leaders say the growing partnership could unlock new opportunities in areas such as trade, logistics, tourism, manufacturing and cultural exchange, strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions with deep historical and diaspora ties.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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