Paramaribo – The 48th Caricom State heads meeting takes place from 19 to 21 February 2025 in Bridgetown, Barbados. President ChandrikaPersad Santokhi will be accompanied by a small functional delegation, including Minister Albert Ramdin of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation (Bibis), in this important regular meeting of head of state and government leaders of the Caricom.
The theme of this top is: “Power in unity: forging Caribbean resilience, inclusive growth and sustainable development”. It is the last Caricom summit for this ruling period to attend the president.
“Due to urgent obligations in Suriname, the head of state will only attend part of the top”
During the meeting, various topics, including food security, climate change and financing, the haiti, safety issues and the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) will be discussed. Furthermore, special attention will be paid to political developments and policy positions, including those announced by US President Donald Trump.
President Santokhi will emphasize Surinames’s position in his speech and present the claims both nationally and regionally. In addition, the head of state will inform the Caricom leaders about the latest state of affairs regarding the election of the new Secretary-General of the Organization of US States (OAS) which is planned for 10 March 2025.
The current Caricom chairman, namely Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, will perform as a hostess for this important top. In addition, special guests, including the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres and the chairman of the European Commission (EU), Ursula von der Leyen, will address the top.
In the margin of the top, both President Santokhi and Minister Ramdin will have bilateral encounters. Due to urgent obligations in Suriname, the head of state will only attend part of the top. He leaves on February 19 and returns in the afternoon of February 21.
