Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Carla Barnett, has reaffirmed that the integration movement “remains convinced” that its advancement must continue to be driven by collective action amid “the pressures that challenge hard-won progress.”
In her message to mark the 53rd Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, the Secretary-General reflected on the Community’s purpose as “a strong expression of collective determination to shape our own destiny.” She pointed to progress made through active collaboration and mutual support, which have strengthened economic partnerships and amplified CARICOM’s voice on issues of global importance.
Read the full text of the Secretary-General’s message to mark CARICOM’s 53rd Anniversary below.
MESSAGE FROM
DR. CARLA BARNETT
SECRETARY-GENERAL, CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM)
ON CARICOM DAY 2026
I extend warm greetings as we mark the Fifty-Third Anniversary of our Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
CARICOM is a strong expression of collective determination to shape our own destiny. Through active collaboration and mutual support, we have strengthened economic partnerships and amplified CARICOM’s voice on issues of global importance.
The Community has advanced critical work across a range of areas vital to the well-being of our people. From strengthening regional security, emergency response and action on climate change, to improving public health and educational outcomes, and advancing other key pillars of regional development, collective efforts continue to reinforce the foundations of a safer, more resilient space for us to call home. In collaboration with relevant national bodies that lead on implementation in our Member States, the Community’s decision-making bodies, the CARICOM Secretariat and our specialised institutions have been establishing the frameworks, safeguards, and initiatives necessary to promote growth and sustainable development.
CARICOM’s strength has always been rooted in shared purpose and the determination of our people to transcend the limitations of small size and limited resources. At home and abroad, CARICOM nationals continue to distinguish themselves and inspire in many fields, demonstrating remarkable creativity and purpose.
Even as we celebrate these successes, we are mindful of the pressures that challenge hard-won progress and unity. Consecutive years of record-breaking climatic events, including hurricanes, have devastated sectors critical to growth, such as agriculture and tourism. At the same time, the Region continues to navigate an increasingly uncertain global environment, marked by shifting economic realities and disruptions to international business.
CARICOM remains convinced that our advancement must continue to be driven by collective action as we confront these headwinds. Together we are committed to making progress in the areas that matter, including expanding intra-regional trade, increasing employment, reducing our food import bill, reducing crime and violence, and adapting our built environment for climate resistance. Equally important are improving digital connectivity and transportation networks to facilitate seamless and affordable communication, and the movement of people and goods across our Community.
We remain ever mindful of the current and future needs of our young people, who deserve a Region that is prosperous, technologically advanced, and full of opportunity.
May this Anniversary inspire renewed confidence in the enduring value of regional unity and interdependence.
Happy CARICOM Day 2026!
About CARICOM:
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.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: CARICOM’s advancement must be driven by collective action, Secretary-General says on 53rd Anniversary.