Please read her message below:

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) joins the global community in recognising the 16 Days of Activism Campaign, during which four important days will be observed: the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, Human Rights Defenders’ Day on 29 November, World AIDS Day on 1 December and Human Rights Day on 10 December.

The campaign underscores that violence denies women and girls the enjoyment of the full complement of their human rights.  CARICOM joins this global call to action against harmful gender norms, impunity, silence and stigma, all of which have allowed violence against women and girls to become normalized in far too many communities.

This year’s theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls,” addresses thealarming rise of digital violence against women and girls, fueled by artificial intelligence, online anonymity, and weak legal accountability. Despite the internet’s potential for empowerment, women and girls now face increased threats, including cyber harassment, deepfake attacks, and relentless online abuse. UN Women reports that 1.8 billion women and girls lack legal protection from technology-facilitated abuse, with less than 40% of countries having relevant laws. The escalation of AI-driven abuse has made it faster, more targeted and harder to detect, with deepfake pornography disproportionately affecting women.

The rise of the “manosphere”, a network of online communities promoting toxic masculinity and misogyny, adds to the growing threat to gender equality; it negatively affects the mental and physical wellbeing of both women and men, and deters women from participating in digital spaces. With billions of people online, digital platforms are increasingly being used to spread hate, harmful stereotypes, reinforce sexist ideologies and portray feminism negatively among young men and boys. Social media is being used to amplify these divisive messages, causing real-world impacts on attitudes and behaviours, affecting careers, shaping culture, causing fear and contributing to extreme acts of violence.

There is an urgent need to devise effective approaches to counteract toxic online environments. Multifaceted efforts must include research, policy advocacy, support for survivors, public education about gender equality and healthy relationships, youth-focused programs, digital literacy and cultural change. Emphasis should continue to be placed on legislative reform; hiring of more women in the digital space; swift removal of harmful content; and deceleration of the spread of misogynistic ideas.

According to the United Nations, one in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, most often at the hands of an intimate partner. Prevalence surveys conducted between 2017-2019 in five CARICOM Member States, sampling women and girls 15-64 years old, indicate incidence rates as high as one in two women. The social and economic consequences are concerning, with potential costs in healthcare, legal services and lost productivity. This underscores the need for a comprehensive response in our countries. 

CARICOM Member States have been implementing measures to address violence against women and girls by promoting gender equality, strengthening legal frameworks and enhancing support systems for survivors. The CARICOM Secretariat remains committed to supporting Member States in developing and implementing polices to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls, including through facilitating training of frontline professionals, including police, healthcare workers and social service providers, to better respond to cases of gender-based violence.

Today we honour the courage of survivors, amplify their voices, and commit to remain united in the pursuit of justice and equality. The eradication of violence against women is not only a moral and vital human rights imperative, but a prerequisite for sustainable development and prosperity. In a Region of some 16 million people, more than half of whom are women and girls, we are individually and collectively responsible for creating safe, inclusive, and equitable societies, where every woman and girl can live free from fear and violence.

CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon, addressed the CARICOM–UNDP High-Level Meeting on Addressing Crime and Violence as a Regional Challenge: Integrating Health, Justice, and Social Policy.

In her remarks, Solomon underscored the urgent need for a coordinated regional response to violent crime, which she described as a scourge undermining economic growth, social development, and the well-being of Caribbean citizens, particularly young people.

She noted that while several initiatives have been implemented across the Region, including community resilience programmes, youth projects, mental health interventions, and justice sector reforms, crime statistics remain deeply troubling. The challenge, she emphasised, is scaling up successful national programmes into a strategic regional framework.

The UNDP has identified organised crime as a major threat to security, governance, and human development in the Caribbean, given the Region’s role as a transhipment route for drugs, weapons, and people. The UNDP’s Regional Human Development Report highlights the need to link governance, justice, and community security to address these pressures.

On CARICOM’s side, Heads of Government have advanced the issue through a series of Regional Symposia on Crime and Violence, producing key declarations such as the George-Bridge Declaration and the Needham’s Point Declaration. These frameworks recognise violent crime as not only a legal problem but also a social and economic one and call for a public health approach to prevention.

The current meeting builds on the CARICOM–UNDP Memorandum of Understanding (2022–2027) and its 2024 Action Plan, aiming to strengthen institutional and community capacities, mobilise resources, and foster collaboration across health, justice, and social sectors. Solomon stressed the importance of developing a Resource Mobilisation Roadmap and harnessing the creativity and commitment of Caribbean youth in shaping solutions.

“This is a meeting of minds around an issue that is challenging our Region in a myriad of destructive ways,” she said, urging participants to lead the way through meaningful discussion and collective action.

Please read the ASG’s complete speech below:

Salutations

Ladies and gentlemen, this is an important meeting. This is a meeting of minds around an issue that is challenging our region in a myriad of destructive ways. Not only is violent crime in and of itself a scourge that is wreaking havoc upon the lives of excessively large numbers of citizens of the Caribbean Community, crime and violence has stunted our economic growth, it profoundly undermines the fulsome development of our societies and already affects the health and wellbeing of our young people and even future generations.

We are not breaking new ground here by any means. This is not a recent refrain. Already there have have been a slew of helpful and somewhat successful responses backed up by resources, such as the Citizen Security programme here in Trinidad funded by the IDB, which focused on community resilience and alternative dispute resolution skills among other things. In fact, there have been  a wide range of initiatives undertaken by various invested stakeholders, including CARICOM and the United Nations that encompass mental health programmes, Youth projects, collection of critical and transformative Crime and violence data, multi sectoral approaches to gender based violence and criminal justice training and reform, particularly focused on backlog reduction and interoperability along the justice chain. Yet, as we all know, the violent crime statistics remain of grave concern. 

The question we must urgently explore is how do we scale up some of these nationally successful programmes and what would be a strategic regional approach that brings together all these different relatively small scale initiatives.

The United Nations Development Programme working in the Caribbean has identified that Organized Crime continues to threaten security, governance, and human development across the Caribbean. As a key transshipment route for drugs, weapons, and people, the region faces compounding social and economic pressures that weaken institutions and undermine public trust.
The UNDP Regional Human Development Report (HDR) for Latin America and the Caribbean highlights the urgent need to address violence, insecurity, and institutional fragility as core development challenges and identifies the importance of linking governance, justice, and community security.

On CARICOM’s side, the Heads of Government have been ceased of this issue in a meaningful and coordinated way. The first Regional Symposium on Crime and Violence as a Public Health Issue, which took place here in Port of Spain brought together all the Heads of Government. The Second Regional Symposium on Crime and Violence did the same and produced the George-Bridge Declaration that identified the beginnings of a multi-sectoral framework for the way forward, including an agreed definition of a “Public Health Approach” and the appointment of a “High Representative on Law and Criminal Justice” to strengthen law enforcement and enhance efficiency in the criminal justice sector. He joins us here today. The Third Regional Symposium on Crime and Violence will take place as an adjunct of the Heads of Government meeting in St Kitts and Nevis in February next year. In other words, this meeting of minds over the next two days is very timely.

The CARICOM–UNDP MOU (2022–2027) and its 2024 Action Plan provides the policy framework for collaboration to operationalizes priorities from the CARICOM Regional Symposiums. The George-Bridge Declaration puts meat on the bare-bones priorities of the first Regional Symposium and the important recommendations of the Needham’s Point Declaration which, critically in the scheme of our cross-sectoral thinking, was the initiative of the Caribbean Court of Justice and acknowledged that that violent crime is not just a legal problem but a social and economic one.

This meetings stems from the objectives of this collaborative engagement between CARICOM and UNDP to support the development of a regional programme concept that strengthens institutional and community capacities to prevent and respond to organized crime while mobilizing new resources for implementation.

Our remit at this  High Level meeting is  to explore how criminal justice reforms, aligned with the 2023 Needham’s Point Declaration and the 2024 George-Bridge Declaration can serve as a catalyst for crime prevention, social reintegration, and community resilience for fostering collaboration among the health, justice and social actors. We must seek to advance human rights based approaches and establish a united regional framework that positions the reduction of violent crime as both a public health and justice reform priority, grounded in evidence and inclusive development. The discussions our collective minds generate will also support the development of an integrated regional programmatic approach and contribute to an analytic brief linking organized crime dynamics to human development, governance, and social inclusion and identifying the practical mechanisms necessary for change, such as a justice sector reform that informs, and is informed by, the data that a public health approach can provide.

In the current environment where multilateral engagements are not as straightforward as they ought to be, and international donor partners are themselves severely constrained, we must match our thinking on the substance with a pragmatic development of a  Resource Mobilization Roadmap identifying partners, funding streams, and synergies with ongoing UNDP and CARICOM initiatives.

We must harness the powerful capacity of our exceptional young people by giving them a solid foundational plan to follow. Young people such as Denyce Blackman who has produced an excellent analysis of why the Needham’s Point Declaration matters to the citizens of the Caribbean Community; or UNDP Trinidad’s  Kwesi Hamilton who creates space for other young voices and works on innovative projects like the Psychosocial Art and Sports Model for PeaceBuilding;   or Reyanna Sankar – a former Human Rights Law student of mine, who now advises the Government of St Kitts on justice reform; and all the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors who demonstrate powerful commitment to the development of this region across various disciplines.

Let us lead the way through meaningful discussion.

Thank You

The two-day event, hosted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and supported by the Canadian High Commission and Auxilium Worldwide, brought together regional law enforcement, customs, fisheries and environmental protection agencies to enhance their investigative capacity against this growing environmental crime.

Speaking at the start of the workshop, Ms. Nadine Bushell, Assistant Director – Projects, CARICOM IMPACS, warned that organised criminals were evolving and leveraging gaps in knowledge of natural resource and environmental crime issues to evade detection by law enforcement. She lamented that these environmental crime activities converge with other serious transnational organised crimes and nefarious activities that put the Caribbean Region at risk.
 

“At CARICOM IMPACS, we have observed a troubling acceleration in transnational organised criminal networks exploiting the Region’s natural resources for profit. The extremely high value of glass eels in the global market has made this a lucrative commodity that has been set upon by criminal actors who target these low-risk and high-value commodities as they diversify their criminal activities beyond the well-known crimes that law enforcement typically monitor and scrutinise”, she explained.

Ms. Bushell added that CARICOM IMPACS remains a steadfast advocate for the protection of the Caribbean’s natural resources and noted that addressing environmental crime and natural resource exploitation by criminals calls for deeper regional cooperation to strengthen the Caribbean’s collective response to this nefarious activity.

Her Excellency Brenda Wills, High Commissioner of Canada to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, said globally, the illegal trade in eels is estimated to be worth up to US$3 billion annually and that the Caribbean has become a key location for the capture and illegal export of eels, often destined for markets in Asia via North America

“This illicit trade threatens biodiversity, undermines legal economies and erodes the rule of law. Canada recognises the importance of regional cooperation in tackling these crimes and is proud to support initiatives like this workshop – which help to strengthen intelligence sharing, build capacity and foster collaboration across borders”, she emphasised. 

The High Commissioner added that combating wildlife trafficking required a whole-of-system approach, strong legislation, effective enforcement and robust reporting mechanisms coupled with education and awareness to ensure the public’s understanding and vigilance so that these crimes do not flourish in the shadows. 

Dr. David Soud, Subject Matter Expert at Auxilium Worldwide and workshop facilitator, stated that while eels may seem insignificant, they are key components of different types of aquatic ecosystems around the world, both as a food source when young and predators when mature. He explained they are a highly valued food source for human beings, especially in Asia, where most of the world’s eel products – over 150,000 tonnes of them – are consumed annually, including in sushi restaurants everywhere. 

“The challenge for us here in the Caribbean is that this demand for eels has driven multiple species onto endangered lists. In the past few decades, we have seen a cascading decline in eel species. The illicit trade in eels is a highly lucrative, multi-million-dollar criminal enterprise spanning the Caribbean, with estimates for the Region’s total trafficking volume ranging from 20 to over 100 tonnes annually,” he revealed. 

This trade is concentrated in key source countries including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. The financial incentive is staggering as glass eels sell for as much as US$5,000 per kilogram to local collectors before being moved to concealed warehouses. They are then exported through North America (the United States (US) and Canada) for onward re-export to Hong Kong and the lucrative Asian eel farming industry, with prices multiplying several times along the route. 

Dr. Soud further added that the high value and complex logistics of this trade have drawn in global organised crime groups (OCGs), many of whom are already involved in trafficking drugs, weapons and human beings. “These networks orchestrate the entire process, from collection to movement and money laundering. Crucially, the legitimate global eel market, which is valued at billions, is exploited, allowing OCGs to use the legal supply chain to launder the proceeds generated not only from the eel black market itself but also from their other, broader criminal activities,” he continued. 

He said the purpose of the workshop was for CARICOM IMPACS and its partners to achieve comparable agility and efficiency in countering the threat of the illicit trade in eels. “CARICOM IMPACS is uniquely suited to address this challenge, because to take on criminal networks, we need well-networked law enforcement and security agencies. We plan to emerge from this workshop better informed and better equipped to undertake this important work,” he assured.

The intensive programme includes sessions on emerging methodologies used by traffickers, data analysis to trace financial flows and case studies detailing successful global interventions. Participants were drawn from across CARICOM Member States, ensuring a unified approach to addressing trafficking routes and enforcement challenges across multiple jurisdictions.

“The experience leaves us in no doubt about the urgency of addressing the existential threats posed by climate change and the need to redouble our efforts to build resilience and foster sustainable development across our Region,” Dr Barnett stated. “Strengthening our trade and economic performance is a critical part of this, and COTED must continue to play its important role in this regard.”

Key points:

• CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett has reaffirmed the Community’s solidarity with Jamaica and Haiti following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen resilience against climate change.

• Addressing the 61st Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), she emphasised the role of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy in driving sustainable growth amid climate shocks.

• Chair for the Meeting, Belize’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Hon. Marconi Leal, underscored COTED’s focus on advancing free movement, industrial policy, and regional recovery efforts.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett, today addressed the 61st Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), underscoring the Community’s solidarity with Member States severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa and reaffirming the Council’s critical role in advancing regional trade and economic resilience as the Region continues to experience climate-related shocks.

Dr Barnett expressed deep sympathy for the Governments and people of Jamaica and Haiti, noting the tragic loss of life and widespread devastation caused by the record-breaking storm. She commended the swift and coordinated response of regional institutions, including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), private sector groups, and regional associations. She highlighted the recent visit to Jamaica by four CARICOM Heads of Government as a tangible demonstration of regional solidarity and a catalyst for additional support.

“The experience leaves us in no doubt about the urgency of addressing the existential threats posed by climate change and the need to redouble our efforts to build resilience and foster sustainable development across our Region,” Dr Barnett stated. “Strengthening our trade and economic performance is a critical part of this, and COTED must continue to play its important role in this regard.”

Dr Barnett discusses COTED’s role in advancing regional trade and economic resilience below: 

The Meeting was chaired by the Honourable Marconi Leal, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Belize. Minister Leal emphasised the central role of COTED in addressing issues of trade and economic development at the heart of the Community’s agenda.

“We are meeting amidst complex global geopolitical and domestic challenges that are testing the resilience of individual Member States and the Community at large,” Minister Leal noted. “The recent passage of Hurricane Melissa provided another stark reminder of the Region’s extreme vulnerability to climate change and natural disasters.”

Minister Leal highlighted the Council’s consideration of key CSME initiatives, including advancing the Free Movement of CARICOM nationals, implementation of the Community’s Industrial Policy and Strategy 2035 and support measures for the application of Article 164 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

The Chair provides additional insight into COTED’s role in advancing the CSME below:

The 61st Meeting of COTED reaffirms CARICOM’s collective commitment to resilience, sustainable development, and the strengthening of regional trade and economic integration.

Editor’s Notes:

The Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) promotes trade and economic development of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and oversees the operations of the Single Market and Economy.

Helpful Links:

More on COTED:

CARICOM Single Market and Economy

In her address, Dr Barnett underscored CARICOM’s solidarity with Member States severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa and reaffirmed the Council’s vital role in advancing regional trade and economic resilience. She emphasised that as the Region continues to face climate-related shocks, strengthening cooperation and integration through COTED remains essential to building resilience and sustainable growth.

Please read Dr Barnett’s speech below:

It is a pleasure to welcome you to this Sixty-First Regular Meeting of the Council of Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

Excellencies, let me begin by expressing our solidarity with and support for the Government and People of Jamaica and Haiti, our two Member States which have been severely impacted by record-breaking Hurricane Melissa. We have been shocked and saddened by the loss of life, and the damage and devastation caused.

Amidst the devastation, it has been heartwarming to see the outpouring of support from the Caribbean Community including through the work of Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency [CDEMA], Caribbean Public Health Agency [CARPHA]  private sector groups and regional associations working to support disaster response teams at the national level. The visit to Jamaica on Monday by four CARICOM Heads of Government was a tangible demonstration of  solidarity and yielded offers of additional meaningful support.

This experience leaves us in no doubt about the urgency of addressing the existential threats posed by climate change and the need to redouble our efforts to build resilience and foster sustainable development across our Region. Strengthening our trade and economic performance is a critical part of this, and we anticipate that the COTED should continue to play its important role in this regard.

I am, therefore, encouraged to see that the Agenda of this COTED includes important initiatives that will help us to respond collectively and strategically to these challenges, and continue the push for growth that the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) is intended to help us realise.

The discussions on the industrial policy will be an important item for this session. When finalised, it will be an important aspect of the regional strategy to promote regional value chains, expand intra-regional trade, support entrepreneurship, and make trade and business development within our Community more competitive. It follows the excellent work done on the regional agriculture policy, the 25 by 2025 plus 5, which is delivering tangible results.

These sectoral strategies will complement the steady work of this COTED on important trade policy measures, including the revised Common External Tariffs (CET) and Rules of Origin, and the negotiation of trade agreements at the regional and national levels. These include the CARICOM/Colombia Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (TECA) and partial scope agreements proposed by Belize. It is expected that this meeting will move forward to conclude the certification of the Belize-El Salvador partial scope and that clear direction will be given for advancing the CARICOM-Colombia negotiations to completion.

The work that is being undertaken to assess the impact of changes in global trade policies, especially those of the United States, and prepare for the likely changes in key trade arrangements is crucial. Careful attention must therefore be paid to the report on the ongoing efforts of the Expert Working Group comprising the Secretariat, the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO), The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), complemented by the World Bank.

You will receive an update on the steps to conclude the updating of the CET and Rules of Origin, which are now ready for implementation. This will be complemented by work underway to address the use of technical specification in the suspension and safeguard regimes, and to complete a study on the list of ineligibles.

With respect to the CIMSuPro, I urge close collaboration among the Secretariat, Suriname as the current host of the CIMSUPro, Member States, and the CPSO and national private sector bodies, to advance this in a meaningful way. We must harness technology to make our trade regime more efficient, and this is a step in that direction.

The Senior Officials have done substantial work to address the technical issues before you, and their report provides a solid basis for this Council to take things forward.

Mr. Chairman, I am confident that under your leadership, and with the valuable contribution of Ministers and Heads of Delegation present, we will deliver clear outcomes from this Sixty-First Meeting of the Council. My team and I are ready to give you and the Meeting of this Council our full support.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

A resilient agri-food system remains critical for CARICOM as the Region continues to face increasing climate-related challenges. As part of its response, the CARICOM Secretariat, supported by the Government of New Zealand, has launched the CARICOM Boost: Women and Youth in Agriculture Project, a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening food security and empowering key stakeholders across Member States.

This strategic initiative is designed to enhance the capacity of women and youth in the agribusiness sector, while contributing to the Region’s goal of reducing its Food Import Bill by 25% by 2025.

Speaking about the programme, Shaun Baugh, Programme Manager for Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, stated:

“The overarching goal is to improve livelihoods and expand employment opportunities. So, we will engage 188 youth and women from the Region by teaching them agricultural best practices and management. Beneficiaries will participate in a series of capacity-building activities aimed at equipping them with skills in production and post-harvest management.”

He provides further insight below.

The project will be implemented in Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname, with direct support provided to selected participants through training, equipment, and infrastructure development.

Key deliverables of the Boost Project include construction of 47 shade houses to support controlled-environment agriculture; provision of 15 solar-powered cold storage units; distribution of post-harvest and storage crates to enhance produce handling and preservation.

Mr Baugh explains that Boost will transform how beneficiaries develop their agribusiness:

The capacity-building component of the initiative is being delivered in collaboration with regional and international partners, including the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

“The CARICOM Secretariat remains steadfast in its mission to foster inclusive growth and food and nutrition security through targeted interventions that empower the next generation of agricultural leaders,” stated Mr Baugh.

He provides additional details on how Boost will contribute to reducing the Region’s Food Import Bill by 25% by 2025:

Helpful Links:

The Workshop focused on exploring practical applications of AI within the Secretariat.

CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett, Deputy Secretary-General, Dr Armstrong Alexis, and members of the Executive Management Committee participated. The session was facilitated by a team of specialists from UNDP.

In his brief remarks, Dr Alexis expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, noting that UNDP’s expertise will be pivotal in equipping the Secretariat to leverage AI effectively.

UNDP Resident Representative for Guyana and Suriname, Ms Katy Thompson, commended the CARICOM Secretariat for selecting UNDP as a strategic partner in advancing digitalisation.

A self-paced course for CARICOM Secretariat staff is currently being finalised by the technical teams and will be launched in the coming weeks, with completion scheduled by 31 December 2025.

The initiative is grounded in an evidence-based approach. Accordingly, the course design draws on insights from a recently administered 2025 CARICOM Secretariat Baseline Survey on Artificial Intelligence, ensuring that the content is both relevant and responsive to staff needs.

View highlights from the workshop here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCAMVt  

The one-day visit took the form of a road trip from Montego Bay to White House, Westmoreland, the epicentre of Hurricane Melissa.

Regional Family in Action

The CARICOM Heads emphasised that their presence was not only symbolic but deeply personal: as a regional family, they too have endured similar disasters. They expressed confidence that the resilience and strength of the Jamaican people will once again allow the nation to rise stronger than before.

Tangible Support for Recovery

• Barbados pledged a field hospital, arriving tomorrow and additional garbage removal trucks
• Guyana committed engineering support from the Guyana Defence Force to assist with debris removal and rebuilding efforts, along with the provision of 200 roofs.
• Other Member States and Associate Members have also pledged support to the relief and recovery efforts.

These contributions reflect some of the steps being taken to accelerate recovery and restore hope to affected communities.

Words of Gratitude

Prime Minister Andrew Holness expressed heartfelt appreciation for the solidarity shown by his CARICOM colleagues, sharing on Facebook:

“Jamaica is grateful for the solidarity being shown and for the reassurance that we do not stand alone. Through partnership, unity, and shared purpose, we will rebuild our communities and strengthen our nation’s ability to withstand future challenges.”

Coordinated Regional Support

The visit was supported by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and representatives from the Regional Security System (RSS). 

This tour was designed to deepen students’ understanding of solar energy by showcasing real-world applications of renewable technologies, energy-efficient systems, and innovative practices implemented at the Secretariat.

Through an informational video, guided demonstrations, and engaging discussions with teams from the Directorate of Economic Integration, Innovation and the Administrative Services, students gained valuable insights into how renewable energy supports climate resilience, reduces our carbon footprint, and advances the Region’s sustainable energy transition.

The CARICOM Secretariat extends appreciation to the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the participating institutions for their continued commitment to advancing energy education and empowering the next generation of Caribbean innovators.

For more information about CARICOM Energy Month 2025, visit https://caricom.org/caricom-energy-month-2025-upcoming…/ 

The CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) will undertake a groundbreaking visit to the United Kingdom from 17 – 20 November 2025 to advance its advocacy for reparatory justice. The delegation’s mission is to strengthen strategic partnerships and promote a joint programme of public education and engagement on the reparations agenda.

The visit is being organised with the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, which will host the delegation’s meetings and events.

The six-member delegation will be led by Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Chairman of the Commission. The CRC delegation comprises: Mr. Eric Phillips, Vice Chair, CRC and Chairman, Guyana Reparations Committee; Ambassador David Comissiong, Ambassador to CARICOM and Vice Chair, Barbados National Task Force on Reparations; Dr. Niambi Hall Campbell Dean, Chairperson, Bahamas National Reparations Committee; Mr. Arley Gill, Chairman, Grenada National Reparations Committee; Dr. Hilary Brown, Programme Manager, Culture and Community Development, CARICOM Secretariat.

Members of the media are cordially invited to join a briefing with CRC representatives, who will share an update on the delegation’s mission.

What: Media Briefing

Where: University of London | Senate House

             Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU United Kingdom

When: Tuesday, 18 November 2025 

  3:00 PM GMT | United Kingdom

  9:00 AM CST | Belize

  10:00 AM EST | Jamaica

  11:00 AM AST | Guyana | Trinidad and Tobago | Barbados

  12:00 noon SRT | Suriname

Virtual participation: Please register to join the discussion via the following link: https://caricom.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75c5fdf8c5e3abc8136da5288&id=f062479151&e=1834752308

Members of the media are kindly requested to join the meeting at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Additional information

This marks the first official visit by the CRC to the UK as a collective body. The itinerary includes high-level engagements with:

• High Commissioners and Ambassadors from CARICOM Member States and the African Union
• UK Parliamentarians, including members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations
• Civil society leaders, academics, media professionals, and members of the Caribbean diaspora

The visit underscores the CRC’s commitment to building international alliances and fostering dialogue around reparatory justice, historical accountability, and socio-economic transformation.

Updates on the mission will be shared via CARICOM.org, CARICOM Social Media platforms and our WhatsApp Community: https://bit.ly/CARICOMWhatsApp 

Editor’s Notes:

• Over the past 12 years, the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) has led a vigorous campaign of advocacy and public education on reparatory justice, following its establishment by the Thirty-Fourth Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government in 2013. The CRC has played a pivotal role in revitalising the global movement for reparations.
• Through symposia, public lectures, panel discussions, and publications, the CRC has deepened public understanding of the historical and ongoing impacts of over 300 years of chattel enslavement in the Caribbean. Its conferences—often in collaboration with leading scholars and advocates—have introduced new insights into topics such as the origins of the Western banking system, intergenerational trauma, and the link between slavery and the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases like hypertension in the Region.

• The CRC recently revised the CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice, which was originally adopted in 2014 and last updated in 2018. The Ten Point Plan has now been reimagined to reflect shifting global dynamics and incorporate emerging historical and scientific evidence.
• A 2025 poll commissioned by The Repair Campaign, surveying over 2,000 UK adults, revealed widespread gaps in public knowledge about Britain’s role in transatlantic slavery and colonialism. Key findings include:
  • 85% were unaware that Britain forcibly transported over 3 million Africans to the Caribbean.
  • 89% did not know that Britain enslaved people in the Caribbean for more than 300 years.
  • 63% now support a formal apology to Caribbean nations and descendants of enslaved people—up 4% from 2024.
  • 40% support financial reparations, also reflecting a 4% increase from the previous year.
• In 2024, CARICOM made notable strides in advancing the reparations agenda within the Commonwealth. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia, Samoa, in October 2024, Heads endorsed language in the final communiqué recognising transatlantic slavery and the trafficking of enslaved Africans as crimes against humanity. Heads also agreed that “the time has come for a meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity.”

Helpful Links:

CARICOM Reparations Commission

CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: https://caricom.org/caricom-ten-point-plan-for-reparatory-justice/