Canada is looking forward to welcoming CARICOM leaders.

OTTAWA, Canada, CMC – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he looks forward to welcoming Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders for the first Canada-CARICOM Summit on Canadian soil later this month.

The summit is scheduled for October 17-19. Trudeau, who will co-chair the event, said: “As CARICOM celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the summit will highlight Canada’s strong ties with the Caribbean and provide an opportunity for leaders to continue strengthening cooperation and chart a better future for people in both regions”.

The summit will be held under the theme “Strategic Partners for a Resilient Future,” a government statement here said that Trudeau and CARICOM leaders will advance shared priorities, including building inclusive and sustainable economies, increasing trade and investment, and promoting multilateral collaboration.

The leaders will also work to fight climate change and address its impacts in the Caribbean by exploring ways to improve access to financing for Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean, the statement said.

During the summit, the statement said that Trudeau will highlight the importance of reinforcing democratic values, promoting human rights and the rules-based international order, and strengthening coordination on regional security, including responding to Haiti’s ongoing safety, political, and humanitarian crises.

The statement said the leaders will engage with Canadian business leaders and investors to further commercial opportunities in the region.

Earlier this week, CARICOM chairman and Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said the regional leaders hope to raise three main issues, including climate change and Haiti.

Skerrit said that on the issue of climate change, the regional leaders would look towards Canada, a member of the G7 grouping, “to do more in their response to the issue of climate change and the impact of it having on the countries in the Caribbean.”

As regards Haiti, Prime Minister Skerrit, who will co-chair the summit, said. At the same time, the United Nations Security Council has passed a resolution regarding sending an international multi-national force to the CARICOM country to help restore peace and security. “indeed, Haiti needs more than that.

“Haiti is going to need a comprehensive set of measures to help it stabilize the situation, bring law and order back into Haiti, but also going forward an economic plan well financed by the international community.”

The Canadian government statement said that as co-chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocates group, Prime Minister Trudeau will take the opportunity to advance the SDGs – the pathway for the world to build a more sustainable, peaceful and prosperous future for everyone, according to the statement.

“I look forward to welcoming leaders from the Caribbean Community to Ottawa this month,” Trudeau said, adding,” Canada and the Caribbean Community have built an enduring partnership over the last 50 years, based on ties between our people and our shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

“At this Summit and beyond, we will keep working together to take climate action, build strong economies, and keep people safe, now and into the future,” he added.

The statement said Canada has long-standing ties with many CARICOM countries on a wide range of shared priorities, including trade, security and defense, international assistance, and governance.

“This Summit builds on the work Canada is doing to strengthen ties with the region, including the Prime Minister’s visit to Nassau, The Bahamas earlier this year to participate in the 44th Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM,” it said, adding that more than two million Canadians travel to CARICOM countries annually and over 10,000 students from CARICOM study in Canada every year.

In 2022, Canada’s two-way merchandise trade with CARICOM countries reached CAN$1.8 billion (One CAN$=US$0.72 cents). In 2021, the statement said bilateral trade in services reached CAN$3.9 billion.