Latest update April 7th, 2025 6:08 AM
No indication of change in CARICOM/USA relations – Granger
As the new Donald Trump-led Administration continues to settle in, several countries and international blocs are now in a “wait and see” mode. As for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), there is no indication of
CARICOM Chairman, President David Granger (centre); CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque (left) and Grenada Prime Minister, Keith Mitchell, during the media conference yesterday at the Marriott Hotel.
change with regards to CARICOM/USA relations.
This notion was expressed by President of Guyana; Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, in his capacity of Chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom).
In fact, the Caribbean Community looks forward to continuing the fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship with the US, Granger said during a Press conference at the closing of the 28th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM yesterday at the Marriott Hotel here in Guyana.
The Head of State, in the presence of the CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and Grenada Prime Minister, Keith Mitchell, revealed also, that CARICOM Heads of Government have decided that the community embark on an engagement with the present administration.
“We look forward to continuing those cordial relations with President Trump. We have been traditionally regarded as the fourth frontier after the Pacific Frontier, the Canadian Frontier, (and) the Atlantic Frontier. The Caribbean is known as the fourth frontier and we are sure that the United States understands the strategic significance of the Caribbean and we appreciate the role of the United States.”
Granger said that CARICOM recognises the importance of the recently adopted bipartisan, US-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016 that seeks to increase US engagement with the governments and civil society of the Region.
He asserted also that during the Heads of Government Summit, the bloc also considered the future of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries (ACP) including the renewal of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) which governs relations between the Group and the European Union (EU) – which comes to an end in 2020.
“That Agreement is a unique and valued instrument from which CARICOM has benefitted with regard to trade, development co-operation and political dialogue with Europe and should be renewed. The ACP Group remains a valuable construct which has facilitated relations with Africa and the Pacific and that Group should be strengthened,” the Guyanese leader said.
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