(CARICOM Secretariat) – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett, has emphasised the central role of the Community Council of Ministers in advancing the regional integration agenda, as CARICOM convened its first high-level meeting of 2026 in Frigate Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis, Tuesday, 24 February 2026.
The Council, CARICOM’s second-highest decision‑making body, convened its Sixteenth Special Meeting at the start of an already “remarkably busy” year, the Secretary-General said.
She noted that the demands of 2026 will require CARICOM to strategically pursue and accelerate its work for the people of the Community, while building broader partnerships and deepening collaboration with stakeholders.
“This is our commitment, as we work collectively to improve the welfare and well-being of the people of our Community, and build a sustainable future for generations to come,” Secretary-General Barnett stated.
She also underscored the importance of the meeting to finalise the Secretariat’s 2026 Work Programme and Budget, as well as to fulfil the Council’s Treaty-mandated responsibility to prepare matters for consideration by the Conference of Heads of Government.
Dr. Barnett said that while The Council has traditionally focused on reviewing Agendas for Regular Meetings of the Conference, it is now being called upon to fully execute its mandate under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. As part of this expanded role, the Meeting considered matters related to advancing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, particularly in trade and the free movement of certain aviation personnel, engagement on possible new members of the Community, a coordinated regional approach to industrial development, and reparations.
Given the current global environment, Dr. Barnett said that the Council’s responsibility to ensure that policy directions presented to Heads of Government are carefully assessed is especially significant.
Read the Secretary-General’s full remarks at the 16th Special Meeting of the Community Council of Ministers below.
Right Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Chair of the Community Council of Ministers; and as we shall acknowledge later, Chair of the COFCOR
Other Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Heads of Delegation;
Members of the Executive Management Committee and other Staff of the CARICOM Secretariat;
Distinguished Delegates;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I extend warm greetings as we gather for this Sixteenth Special Meeting of the Community Council of Ministers in the beautiful Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Thank you very much Mr Chairman for going out of your way to ensure that we are all feeling very welcome. I also want to extend a special welcome to the re-elected and newly elected members of our Council.
As this is the first Meeting for 2026, let me wish everyone a safe, healthy, and prosperous year. On behalf of the Secretariat staff, I also convey gratitude to everyone for the support and ongoing engagement as we worked together in 2025.
This Special Meeting was agreed by the Community Council when it met on 16 December 2025, to consider and agree the Work Programme and Budget of the CARICOM Secretariat for 2026. In the interim, we have had productive conversations with several Member States. We are very appreciative of those discussions and we hope that we can make decisions at this Meeting that will work for the Community as a whole.
In keeping with the Community Council mandate, as set out in the Revised Treaty, which is to “function as a preparatory body for meetings of the Conference”, this Council, as the second highest Organ in the Community, is also being requested to consider several items on the agenda for the Fiftieth Meeting of the Conference, and to make recommendations for final approval by the Conference when it meets over the next three days.
To date, the work of the Community Council has been limited to reviewing the Agenda for Regular Meetings of the Conference of Heads of Government, and not fully undertaking the preparatory role that is set out in the Treaty. Some Members of the Community Council may recall earlier discussions on ways to improve, broaden, deepen the operations of this Council, in keeping with its mandate. This agenda is an attempt to ensure that the Council begins to do that broader work.
Therefore, this Meeting will include other items that you would not usually see on the agenda for the Community Council. This includes aspects of deepening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy in areas such as trade and free movement of some categories of aviation personnel; conversation on how to deepen the Community through the addition of new members; a coordinated approach to industrial development across the Region; and reparations.
The critical role of the Community Council to ensure that the policy directions presented to Heads of Government are carefully weighed and support CARICOM’s goals for integration, have never been more important than in the current global environment.
This year has started as a remarkably busy one. It will require us to strategically pursue, and accelerate, our work for the people of the Community, while building broader partnerships and deepening collaboration with our stakeholders. This is at the core of the vision and strategic objectives of the Community, as set out in the 2022-2030 Strategic Plan, which guides the work of the Secretariat every day.
This is our commitment, as we work collectively to improve the welfare and well-being of the people of our Community, and build a sustainable future for generations to come.
I therefore look forward to the positive results that will come from our discussions and anticipate agreements during today’s meeting.
Thank you.
