Trudeau to welcome CARICOM leaders to strengthen ties

The Canadian government said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will welcome leaders from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to Ottawa for the first Canada-CARICOM Summit on Canadian soil.

According to a Canadian Government statement, Trudeau will co-chair the Summit, which runs from Oct. 17 to 19, 2023, alongside the Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, the current chair of CARICOM.

“As CARICOM celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the Summit will highlight Canada’s strong ties with the Caribbean and provide an opportunity for leaders to continue to strengthen cooperation and chart a better future for people in both regions,” the statement said.

Under the Summit’s theme of “Strategic Partners for a Resilient Future,” the statement said Trudeau and CARICOM leaders will advance shared priorities, including building inclusive and sustainable economies, increasing trade and investment, and promoting multilateral collaboration.

The leaders will also work to fight climate change and address its impacts in the Caribbean, including by exploring ways to improve access to financing for Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean, the statement said.

During the Summit, it said Trudeau will highlight the importance of reinforcing democratic values, promoting human rights and the rules-based international order, and strengthening coordination on regional security, including responding to the ongoing security, political and humanitarian crises in Haiti.

The leaders will engage with Canadian business leaders and investors to further commercial opportunities in the region, the statement said.

As co-Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocates group, Prime Minister Trudeau will take the opportunity to advance the SDGs – the pathway for the world to build a more sustainable, peaceful and prosperous future for everyone, according to the statement.

“I look forward to welcoming leaders from the Caribbean Community to Ottawa this month,” Trudeau said. “Canada and the Caribbean Community have built an enduring partnership over the last 50 years, based on ties between our people and our shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

“At this Summit and beyond, we will keep working together to take climate action, build strong economies, and keep people safe, now and into the future,” he added.

The statement said Canada has long-standing ties with many CARICOM countries on a wide range of shared priorities, including trade, security and defense, international assistance and governance.

“This Summit builds on the work Canada is doing to strengthen ties with the region, including the Prime Minister’s visit to Nassau, The Bahamas earlier this year to participate in the 44th Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM,” it said, adding that more than two million Canadians travel to CARICOM countries annually and over 10,000 students from CARICOM study in Canada every year.

In 2022, Canada’s two-way merchandise trade with CARICOM countries reached CAN$1.8 billion. In 2021, bilateral trade in services reached CAN$3.9 billion, the statement said.