St. Kitts and Nevis hosts 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting

St. Kitts and Nevis is hosting the 50th Regular Meeting of CARICOM, under the theme “Beyond Words: Action Today for a Thriving, Sustainable CARICOM.” The opening ceremony took place at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort in Frigate Bay and marked a historic milestone in regional integration.

The meeting is being held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew. The outgoing chairman, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, will also address the gathering. Many other Prime Ministers have joined the meeting to discuss key issues affecting the Caribbean region.

The list of attendees at the opening ceremony included - Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley; Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell; Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar; prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Godwin Friday; Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit. The meeting was also graced by other esteemed dignitaries, regional leaders and representatives of foreign governments. 

The main focus of this four day meeting is to shape the future of the Caribbean Community in the best way possible. The meeting is scheduled to continue conclude on Friday February 27th, 2026. 

One of the attendees at the opening ceremony included Ambassador Edward Ling-wen Tao. He was accompanied by Secretary Hsien-Yu (Billy) Chung. Their presence marked Taiwan’s commitment in working closely with regional partners to advance sustainable growth and shared prosperity. 

Dr. Terrance Drew addresses CARICOM Leaders on regional challenges and priorities

Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and the present Chairperson of the Caribbean Community, gave a keynote address where he addressed the issues faced by Caribbean nations. Here he highlighted the region’s outlook in addressing the challenges. He started his speech discussing how today’s world is changing rapidly and highlighted the instability of the global supply chains. 

Dr Drew talked about fluctuating energy prices, climate shocks, and other challenges faced by the Caribbean region. He added that during such times, regional unity builds resilience and protects Caribbean nations from external shocks.

He also outlined key priorities for deeper collaboration. One of the sectors he mentioned was food security. PM Drew advocated the move towards food sovereignty by investing in modern agriculture, agro-processing and irrigation techniques. The Prime Minister also stressed on improving connectivity within the Caribbean nations. 

He explained that in order to achieve that, air and sea links must be strengthened. 

He thanked the leaders for their attendance during the opening session. He also expressed hope for a productive 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for the next three days.