FORT DE FRANCE, Martinique, CMC -The French Senate has given the green light to Martinique to seek associate membership with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), after it officially signed the accession agreement at the CARICOM summit held in Barbados in February last year.
French officials, however, note that the Senate decision on January 28 does not represent the definitive culmination of the institutional process, as the text still has to be examined by the French National Assembly to complete the French legislative procedure.
But they said that the widely supported vote, seen as a strong political signal in favour of the 15-member grouping, which has long favoured the French Caribbean territories.
Created in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas, CARICOM brings together sovereign states and several non-independent territories around common priorities, including economic integration, mobility, climate resilience, public health, education, and cultural cooperation.
For the French territories in the region, relations with CARICOM have long been indirect, limited to one-off partnerships or technical cooperation, without any fundamental institutional framework. The French authorities say Martinique’s accession as an associate member is intended to fill this gap.
Associate membership, provided for under the Treaty of Chaguaramas, is reserved for non-sovereign territories. It enables active participation in CARICOM’s work and programmes, but excludes sovereign powers such as foreign policy or the right to vote on decisions binding on member states.
The French officials say Martinique’s accession in no way alters its institutional status and that the territory remains a French collectivity governed by the Code général des collectivités territoriales, and fully retains its status as an outermost region of the European Union.
The French legal framework authorises local authorities to join regional organisations, subject to the State’s agreement. This does not involve any transfer of competence or any questioning of French or European sovereignty.
“The Senate’s vote on January 28, 2026, opens a new phase for Martinique within CARICOM. The challenge now is to transform this institutional framework into tangible projects and practical cooperation for the territory and its stakeholders.
“Membership is not a symbolic achievement, but the starting point for a regional participation that will be translated into action, in the service of Martinique’s development and integration into the Caribbean,” according to the French-based Richès Karayib, a multimodal and multilingual media platform dedicated to showcasing the culture, heritage, and tourism of the Caribbean.
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