KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Jamaica is hosting the first High-Level Policy Dialogue with the Caribbean as partners from the European Union and the Caribbean began a two-day meeting here on Thursday.
Co-chaired by the Jamaican government and the European Commission, in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago government, the policy dialogue aims to define concrete EU-Caribbean digital cooperation opportunities in the lead-up to the 2025 Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)-EU summit, scheduled for November 9-10.
A statement issued here said that the region’s distinct geographical characteristics, cultural diversity, and heightened vulnerability to natural disasters require specific digital solutions.
“As a result, Caribbean experiences related to digital development may differ from those seen across Latin America. Sub-regional coordination and cooperation with the wider Latin American region and partners like the European Union are essential for addressing these nuances and leveraging context-specific opportunities,” the statement said, adding that the EU is committed to supporting Caribbean digital solutions to address Caribbean challenges.
It stated that apart from the Global Gateway Investment Agenda, European and Caribbean policymakers will hold discussions on the thematic policy components of the Digital Alliance with a Caribbean perspective, including cybersecurity, e-governance, data governance, and artificial intelligence.
“Partners of both sides of the Atlantic have expressed a high level of ambition to address specific issues where EU-Caribbean cooperation can make a difference,” the statement said.
As the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane season begins, the EU stands ready to support the generation of reliable and effective early warning and emergency response information.
The meeting here will also focus on gender perspectives in digital policies, adding that inclusive digitalization is key to closing the gender gap.
“This dialogue builds on the momentum from 2024, when Belize, Guyana, and Grenada joined the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, highlighting the Caribbean’s commitment to bi-regional digital cooperation.”
The statement recalled that during the high-level Stocktaking Session in Chile in November last year, Jamaica proposed its co-leadership and hosting of Caribbean policy dialogue in 2025, with Trinidad and Tobago as a collaborator.
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