CARICOM: Caribbean Community

🎄It’s Christmas time in the Caribbean Community. ✝️Tell us some of your Christmas traditions in your country? 🎅🏾Share your comments and rep your flag! #CARICOM #SeasonsGreetings #ChristmasinCARICOM #HappyHolidays

Warmest greetings from us to you!🎄🎅🏾🎁

On 18 December, CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Armstrong Alexis welcomed the Deputy Director of the Brazilian Agency of Cooperation (ABC), Ambassador Luiza Lopes da Silva, for a courtesy call at the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. Discussions focused on revitalising cooperation between Brazil and CARICOM by streamlining existing mechanisms, identifying shared priorities, and leveraging our strengths. The importance of increasing people-to-people exchanges, was also underscored during the engagement. Her Excellency Maria Cristina de Castro Martins, Ambassador of Brazil to Guyana and CARICOM Assistant-Secretary General, Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon were also present.

Joint Statement | Eighth CARICOM-Japan Ministerial Conference The Eighth CARICOM-Japan Ministerial Conference, held on 14 December in Tokyo, reaffirmed the bilateral cooperation between CARICOM and Japan. Co-chaired by Dr. the Hon. Vince Henderson, Chair of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations/Minister of Foreign Affairs of Dominica and Mr. Iwaya Takeshi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the meeting focused on cooperation in three main areas: sustainable development, strengthening bonds through exchanges and friendship, and addressing international challenges. The Joint Statement from the Conference can be accessed below: https://lnkd.in/d_wtp3iY

#CARICOM High School Agriculture Competition ❓Have you voted yet? 🗒️ This competition encourages students to showcase successful agriculture programs, promote sustainable practices, and inspire interest in agriculture as a career option. 🏫 Over 40 schools across the Region are competing 🗳️Cast your vote now with either a 👍 or ❤️ ✨Voting ends 20 December 2024 Visit caricom.org for more details #CARICOM #IAMYOUTHAGRICULTURE

CARICOM Youth Ambassador Dean, Vanessa Burke, had the honour of welcoming Jordan Crooks OLY back to his home country, the Cayman Islands after his groundbreaking achievement at the 2024 World Championships in Budapest on 15 December 2024. Crooks, a 22 year old male, made history as the first person to swim the 50m freestyle (SCM) in under 20 seconds, clocking an astonishing 19.90 seconds, and defending his gold medal from two years ago. Jordan’s achievement has placed him in the same league as global icons making him the fastest swimmer in the world. Crooks’ success has not only raised the profile of the Cayman Islands but has also highlighted the incredible talent emerging from the Caribbean and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). CYA Dean Burke celebrated Crooks’ victory as a proud moment for both the Cayman Islands and the CARICOM: Caribbean Community, reinforcing how sports continue to inspire and unite the Region. His victory serves as a powerful reminder of the natural connection CARICOM nationals have with the water and the need for continued investment in youth and sports development across the Caribbean.

The Caribbean Community shares the deep shock and sorrow of our Member State, Trinidad and Tobago, on the tragic passing of Minister in the Ministry of Education and Member of Parliament, Lisa Morris -Julian and two of her children in a fire. Ms Morris-Julian was a highly regarded public servant who made a sterling contribution to the Region in education and community service. We extend wishes for a speedy recovery to her family members injured in the fire, and send sincere condolences to all her loved ones.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) welcomes the opportunity to engage with the new government of Japan early in its tenure, Dr the Hon. Vince Henderson, Chair of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) and the Foreign Minister of Dominica, said recently in Tokyo, Japan. The CARICOM Foreign Ministers were in Japan for the Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial Conference which was convened on 14 December. Some key milestones in CARICOM-Japan relations, including a 2014 Heads of Government Summit, seven Ministerial Meetings, and 19 technical cooperation engagements. These efforts have fostered developments in various sectors such as SMEs, trade fairs, agriculture, fisheries, IT, environmental conservation, disaster risk reduction, climate change, energy, culture, and tourism, the COFCOR Chair stated. The Eighth CARICOM-Japan Ministerial Meeting, culminated the CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year 2024. The year marks three decades of friendship between the Community and Japan, and 60 years of diplomatic relations between CARICOM and Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago respectively. Visit caricom.org to read the full update.

#HappeningNow – Assistant Secretary-General (Ag), Dr Wendell Samuel, and other officials from the #CARICOM Secretariat are touring a dairy farm site in Moblissa, Guyana. The farm is one of the transformational agricultural projects being implemented in Guyana as part of the Vision 25 x 2025, a regional strategy to reduce the Region’s food import bill by 25 percent by 2025.

Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Foreign and Community Relations, is leading the CARICOM Secretariat’s delegation at the Eighth Japan-CARICOM Ministerial Conference in Tokyo which will take place on 14 December.   On December 13, the ASG held bilateral talks with Japan's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Takuma Miyaji. They emphasised the commitment of CARICOM and Japan to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperate internationally based on their Global Partnership.   The State Minister also indicated his desire to promote cooperation in line with the "Diplomatic Initiative toward Latin America and the Caribbean" with a Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) perspective. In response, ASG Solomon expressed her appreciation for Japan’s assistance to CARICOM States. She welcomed the Japanese decision to realize the cooperation project for Haiti considering WPS and stated her hope to continue to cooperate in such areas.