CARICOM Leaders Deliberate on Haiti Situation and Regional Integration Progress

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders Monday began their first full day of deliberations hoping to “point the way forward” on the situation in Haiti as well as on other issues of relevance to the 15-member regional integration movement.

Guyana’s President and CARICOM Chairman, Dr Irfaan Ali, speaking at the start of the plenary session, said leaders would spend a lot of time “in retreat format” to review progress, self-evaluate, and have very frank discourse and transparent discourse “so that we can make strong interventions and make a strong commitment to resolving the issues that are before us”.

He said the discussions began over two days ago with the regional leaders focused on the political, economic and social situation in CARICOM member nation Haiti where criminal gangs have been causing widespread security concerns and where calls for fresh elections have been made ever since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in July 2021.

“CARICOM Heads met on Saturday and commenced discussions on the challenges we have with Haiti. This morning [they met] with the Friends of Haiti, an expanded grouping that included all the stakeholders and partners working with Haiti.

“We are hopeful that sometime today, we will be able to point the Haitian people, the region and the global community in the direction through which we believe long-lasting sustainable solutions can be achieved.

“Of course, this requires all stakeholders in Haiti, especially, to give a bit, to compromise a bit and to express a collective willingness to achieve the outcomes that we are setting ourselves to achieve,” Ali told the meeting, which is also being attended by Haiti’s Prime Minister Dr Ariel Henry.

Ali said that the regional leaders would also be discussing updates regarding the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) which is intended to allow for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the region.

Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has lead responsibility for the CSME, is expected to present an update report, Ali said during the opening ceremony on Sunday night.

He said on the issue of climate change, the regional leaders will continue to advance the region’s position on climate change financing, adaptation and mitigation and a fairer mechanism through which new loans are secured for the developing world in keeping with the just transition and in keeping with the objective of all of us achieving our climate targets.