GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – A team from the Commonwealth Secretariat is currently here for the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government as part of a series of regional meetings in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting later this year.
The issues to be discussed at the four-day CARICOM meeting are climate resilience, regional security, energy, nutrition, and food security.
Here, Secretary-General Patricia Scotland will engage with Caribbean leaders directly and collectively.
The Commonwealth Secretariat team will also update the leaders on upcoming ministerial meetings, special Commonwealth events, and possible areas of assistance and collaboration.
There are three significant Commonwealth milestones this year. On March 11, Commonwealth Day will be celebrated, while in April, the Secretariat will start the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the London Declaration that gave birth to the modern Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in Samoa in October. It will be the first time CHOGM will be held in a small Pacific island developing state.
Reflecting on the close relationship with CARICOM, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said:
“As a Caribbean person, every meeting is like coming home to family. In particular, I am happy to be back in Guyana to attend this important summit. I look forward to rich discussions, hearing about areas of concern, and learning about recent successes. For us at the Secretariat, CARICOM is a strong and treasured partner.”
She also thanked the President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, and CARICOM Secretary-General, Dr Carla Barnett, for the opportunity to attend the meeting.
Twelve CARICOM member states are part of the 56 Commonwealth member countries.
Following the CARICOM meeting, the Secretary-General will travel to Zanzibar for the biennial Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting (CLMM) from March 4 to 8, hosted by the Government of Tanzania. The meeting will focus on the theme ‘Technology and Innovation: How digitalization paves the way for developing people-centered access to justice.’
The Commonwealth Secretary-General will also be in the Caribbean in April for the 35th Caribbean Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (CARAIFA) conference in her home country of Dominica and the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) in Antigua and Barbuda in May.
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