“CARICOM notes that all Members States of the Caribbean Community are States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of the UNCLOS. The rights conferred by the UNCLOS are firmly entrenched in customary international law, and are binding on all States, regardless of whether they are States Parties to UNCLOS. CARICOM also notes that the right of passage under the UNCLOS should not be contingent on any license, levy, or authorization, and bordering States should not hamper or suspend transit passage.”
CARICOM Secretariat | Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana | Monday, 18 May 2026:
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) expresses serious concern at the continued hostilities in the Middle East, marked by military action in the Strait of Hormuz. CARICOM is alarmed by the severe loss of life, threats to civil infrastructure, and the instability in global markets that have resulted from the ongoing conflict.
These recent developments in the Middle East have profoundly affected maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz, through which the right of transit passage applies under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The disruption of transit passage has consequences which reverberate across the global economy – through energy markets, supply chains and increased freight costs, thereby limiting countries’ access to critical supplies, and disproportionately affecting small import-dependent states.
CARICOM notes that all Members States of the Caribbean Community are States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to upholding the principles of the UNCLOS. The rights conferred by the UNCLOS are firmly entrenched in customary international law, and are binding on all States, regardless of whether they are States Parties to UNCLOS. CARICOM also notes that the right of passage under the UNCLOS should not be contingent on any license, levy, or authorization, and bordering States should not hamper or suspend transit passage.
CARICOM therefore calls on all concerned parties to uphold and respect the right of transit passage, comply with all other applicable obligations under international law, restore safe and unimpeded transit passage in the Strait of Hormuz, and ensure the safety of seafarers and vessels. Furthermore, CARICOM urges cessation of hostilities, and stresses the urgent need for de-escalation and restraint by all parties.
CARICOM will continue to closely monitor the developments in the Middle East and remains steadfast in its support for diplomacy to promote sustainable peace in the Region and greater stability globally.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was established on 4 July 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was revised in 2001 to allow for the establishment of a single market and economy. CARICOM comprises fifteen Member States and six Associate Members and is home to approximately sixteen million citizens, 60% of whom are under 30 years old. CARICOM’s work rests on four main pillars: economic integration; foreign policy coordination; human and social development; and security cooperation.
The members of CARICOM work together to create a Community that is integrated, inclusive and resilient; driven by knowledge, excellence, innovation and productivity; a Community which is a unified and competitive force in the global arena, where every citizen is secure and has the opportunity to realise his or her potential with guaranteed human rights and social justice, and contributes to, and shares in, its economic, social and cultural prosperity.
CARICOM remains one of the best examples of integration in the developing world.
The CARICOM Secretariat, the principal administrative organ of the Community, is headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana.