WASHINGTON, DC – IN a significant diplomatic engagement amid shifting U.S. foreign policy priorities, leaders from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Prime Minister of The Bahamas met yesterday (May 7) in Washington, D.C., with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss growing regional challenges.
High on the agenda were pressing issues such as drug and weapons trafficking, illegal immigration, and regional security. The Caribbean leaders outlined their respective positions and concerns during the talks.
The meeting followed Secretary Rubio’s recent visit to three Caribbean territories, during which he held discussions with various leaders, including CARICOM Chair Mia Mottley of Barbados.
Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, emphasized the strategic importance of the meeting, stating that it served to highlight “to combat drug and firearms trafficking and illegal migration – key drivers of violence and instability”.
Bruce added that the U.S. encouraged regional partners to strengthen intelligence-sharing, bolster security cooperation, and improve border controls through mechanisms such as the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.
Relations with China and Cuba were also discussed—two areas of growing tension for U.S. foreign policy in the Caribbean. The U.S. has warned of visa restrictions for governments and officials engaging with Cuba’s medical brigade, which Washington has labeled as a form of forced labor.
Regarding China, Bruce noted its increasing presence in the Caribbean region as a concern. “Secretary Rubio urged our partners to make responsible, transparent decisions when selecting vendors and contractors for critical infrastructure projects, ensuring they are not vulnerable to privacy and security risks and exploitation by malign actors like the Chinese Communist Party," she said. "He also reaffirmed our commitment to holding accountable Cuban regime officials, foreign government officials, and those involved in facilitating the regime’s forced labor scheme, including Cuba’s medical missions,”
In a show of practical support, Bruce also confirmed the reactivation of two U.S.-administered programs designed to strengthen early warning systems in the region ahead of the 2024 hurricane season.
Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis is expected to provide a detailed update at his next media briefing in Basseterre. However, in a brief message posted to social media, he wrote: "Today, I was joined…in a meaningful and constructive conversation with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. We look forward to continued dialogue between the United States and our region.”
Leaders in attendance included Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre of Saint Lucia, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, and Prime Minister Terrance Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
