Caribbean News

CARICOM Leaders team up for Summit in Saudi Arabia

Published

3 years ago

November 25, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

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.

Caribbean News

Whitehouse Students and Farmers Cultivate a Greener Future Through RE-LEAF Action with Sandals Foundation

Published

2 weeks ago

June 11, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Whitehouse, Westmoreland, Jamaica – June 11, 2026 — As part of activities commemorating World Environment Day, 28 students from New Hope Primary and Kings Primary School joined farmers, Forestry Department representatives, environmental wardens, and the Sandals Foundation to plant fruit trees in Whitehouse, Westmoreland. The activity forms part of the Foundation’s support of Jamaica’s national RE-LEAF (Reforestation, Ecological Enhancement and Landscape Framework) Initiative. As part of its commitment, the philanthropic organization has distributed 360 fruit trees to schools and farmers to aid landscape restoration and food security efforts.

A variety of food trees including breadfruit, ackee, jackfruit, mango, avocado, soursop, and Otaheite apple were distributed to Culloden Early Childhood Institution, Whitehouse Basic School, New Hope Primary School, Kings Primary School, Petersville Primary School, and Petersville Early Childhood Institution as well as to members of the Westmoreland Organic Farmers Association to increase access to locally grown produce.

Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, said the Organization’s choice of trees was a deliberate effort to build the resilience of the communities. “We chose fruit trees because in addition to helping to restore green space sand biodiversity, they sustain a community’s food security. ”

Recently, Whitehouse farmers joined students of Kings and New Hope Primary School students, Forestry Department representatives, and Sandals Foundation environmental wardens to plant 20 trees – demonstrating a community approach to their landscape restoration efforts.

“Reforestation is about much more than planting trees,” said Georgia Scarlett, Environmental Manager at the Sandals Foundation. ” It is also about ensuring future generations understand their role in protecting the natural resources that sustain our communities. By placing fruit trees in schools and farming communities, we are creating opportunities for learning, nourishment, and long-term environmental stewardship.

For Caribbean communities facing growing pressure on food systems, green spaces, and natural resources, the project offers a practical model for local action. By placing fruit trees in schools and farming communities, the initiative gives residents more than seedlings. It gives them a direct role in producing food, restoring shade, and protecting the environment their children will inherit.

PHOTO CAPTION:

L-R: Dian Holgate, representative of the Forestry Department; Georgia Scarlett, Environmental Project Manager of the Sandals Foundation; Kings Primary School teacher O’Shea Lawrence; farmer, Barbara Stewart, and students Chloe Robinson and Reshaina Samuels of Kings Primary School participate in a tree-planting activity in Whitehouse, Westmoreland. The initiative formed part of the RE-LEAF programme, which distributed 360 fruit trees to schools and farmers across the community.

Bahamas News

CDB Leadership Passes to Belize as Region Eyes New Financing Partnerships

Published

3 weeks ago

June 9, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

By Deandrea Hamilton

The Bahamas, June 9, 2026 – The Caribbean Development Bank’s annual gathering may have concluded in The Bahamas, but attention is already turning to Belize as leadership of the institution’s Board of Governors officially changed hands.

At the close of the 56th Annual Meeting in Nassau, outgoing Chairman and CDB Governor for The Bahamas, Michael Halkitis, formally transferred the chairmanship to Belize’s Dr. Hon. Osmond Martinez, continuing the Bank’s tradition of rotating leadership among its regional shareholders.

The handover capped a week of discussions focused on financing development in an increasingly uncertain global environment and strengthening the Caribbean’s ability to withstand economic and climate-related shocks.

One of the meeting’s most closely watched conversations centered on how multilateral development banks can better support vulnerable Small Island Developing States.

During the President’s Chat, titled Financing the Future: MDB Strategies for Uncertain Times, CDB President Daniel Best joined leaders from the OPEC Fund, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage to discuss expanding development finance and building resilience.

OPEC Fund President Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa emphasized that development institutions must move beyond responding to crises and instead help countries prepare for them.

“The real test is whether we can help countries move from strategy to implementation, and from implementation to results,” Alkhalifa said.

The discussions reflected a growing regional push for innovative financing solutions as Caribbean nations continue to confront climate vulnerability, infrastructure demands and economic uncertainty.

Beyond discussions on financing and resilience, the Annual Meeting also featured youth engagement activities, including the Youth FIRE Forum, where young Caribbean leaders participated in conversations about innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership and the future of regional development. Senior government officials, development professionals and youth delegates exchanged ideas on the challenges and opportunities facing the next generation, reinforcing a recurring message throughout the conference: that investments made today must ultimately improve opportunities for Caribbean youth tomorrow.

That theme was echoed by Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis, who used the opening ceremony to challenge regional leaders to invest in future generations.

“We must invest in the one asset that no agency can ever downgrade, and that no storm can ever wash away: the mind of a Caribbean child,” Davis told delegates.

With Belize now assuming the chairmanship, regional leaders say the focus remains on transforming ideas discussed in Nassau into tangible results for Caribbean people.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

Caribbean News

Beaches Turks and Caicos and Sandals Foundation share educational material with primary school in Providenciales

Published

4 weeks ago

May 29, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: May 29, 2026 – Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and the Sandals Foundation, recently brought smiles and inspiration to students at the Community Christian Academy through a meaningful Reading Road Trip and educational material donation initiative.

The outreach effort, which forms part of the Sandals Foundation’s ongoing commitment to education and community development across the Turks and Caicos Islands, saw team members and volunteers engaging directly with students while delivering a wide range of essential school supplies.

Among the donated items were books, footballs, volleyballs, pencils, rulers, sharpeners, Bibles, Christian literature, sun glasses, writing pads, educational cue cards, erasers, markers, crayons, glue, scissors, paper clips, coloured chalk, and pens. The contributions were carefully curated to support both academic learning and extracurricular development for students at the institution.

A highlight of the day’s activities was an interactive reading session with the kindergarten and grade one classes, where volunteers shared stories and encouraged early literacy in a fun and engaging environment. The young students responded with enthusiasm, creating a lively and memorable experience for all involved.

Travel Advisor Renee Rice, who participated in the initiative alongside her family, expressed heartfelt appreciation for the opportunity to give back. “We are happy for this experience as we partnered with the Sandals Foundation and Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort in sharing in the development of education in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Rice said. Her family actively participated in reading sessions and interacting with the students, further enhancing the impact of the visit.

Principal Krystal Vincent welcomed the initiative and emphasized the importance of such partnerships in advancing the school’s mission. “These educational materials will go a far way, and we are happy for this relationship that we have established with the Sandals Foundation and Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort in helping to support the growth of the students and the institution,” Vincent noted.

Chairman of the School Board, Pastor Bradley Handfield, also expressed gratitude during the presentation of the items. He commended the donors for their continued investment in the community and their willingness to support the nation’s youth. Pastor Handfield highlighted the significance of corporate and philanthropic partnerships in strengthening educational foundations across the islands.

The Reading Road Trip initiative is part of a broader effort by the Sandals Foundation to promote literacy and provide access to educational resources for children throughout the Caribbean.

Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort has long been an active partner in community outreach, consistently supporting initiatives that uplift local communities and empower young people. Through collaborations such as this, the resort continues to demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development.

The visit to Community Christian Academy stands as a testament to the power of partnership and the positive impact that can be achieved when organizations and individuals come together with a shared purpose. For the students, the day was not only about receiving supplies but also about feeling encouraged, valued, and inspired to pursue their educational journeys with confidence.

As the Sandals Foundation and Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort continue to expand their outreach efforts, initiatives like the Reading Road Trip remain vital in shaping the future of education in the Turks and Caicos Islands—one child, one book, and one meaningful connection at a time.

Photo Caption:

The Sandals foundation is a registered charity in Jamaica with the Department of Co-operatives and Friendly Societies, a CRA registered charity in Canada, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States and a registered charity with the Charity Commission for England & Wales that was created in March 2009 to continue and expand upon the philanthropic work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken. It is the culmination of over four decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where we operate across the Caribbean. The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment. One hundred percent of the monies contributed by the general public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community. To learn more about the Sandals Foundation, visit online at www.sandalsfoundation.org or follow us on Facebook, and Instagram.