(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana - Tuesday , 13 October 2026) - The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Republic of Türkiye on 12 October 2026 explored opportunities for deeper cooperation in trade and investment, disaster management and resilience, food security, renewable energy, health, maritime connectivity, and port development.
At the Second Meeting of the CARICOM-Republic of Türkiye Consultation and Cooperation Mechanism on 12 October 2026, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening political dialogue and advancing practical cooperation in those areas.
The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Miriam Mac Intosh, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Cooperation of the Republic of Suriname, the current chair of the CARICOM Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), and the Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Ambassador Erkan Aytun.
In her remarks, Ambassador Mac Intosh said the two parties continue to deepen their engagement in areas of mutual interest based on “a shared commitment to constructive dialogue, genuine partnership, and mutual respect.”
“We express our appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Türkiye for its continued support for development cooperation in the Caribbean Community. Türkiye’s contributions to development projects and humanitarian assistance have delivered tangible benefits and demonstrated the value of our engagement. We remain committed to identifying and advancing further initiatives that contribute to the Region’s resilience and sustainable development.”
Convened under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2011, the Meeting provided an opportunity to review developments in CARICOM-Türkiye relations and identify opportunities for enhanced cooperation.
The Meeting saw high-level officials from CARICOM Member States with quasi-cabinet portfolios for trade and investment, disaster management and resilience, food security, renewable energy, health, maritime connectivity, and port development present specific and practical areas for enhanced cooperation with Türkiye.
Discussions were enriched by representatives from various Turkish institutions who shared how their expertise, technology, and technical capacity can be leveraged to meet the needs of CARICOM Member States in those areas.
With Türkiye serving as President of the Thirty-First Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), to be held in Antalya from 9 to 20 November 2026, the Meeting benefited from a presentation on strategic priorities for the global climate change conference, as well as the host country's preparations and expectations.
“We need to make COP31 an implementation COP. We have carried out extensive consultation with Parties and stakeholders in the development of the COP31 climate action agenda. We have identified 10 priority themes, including Clean energy transition and electrification, Zero waste and methane reduction, climate-resilient cities, green industrialisation, youth and education, food security, oceans and seas, dynamic and resilient health systems, Rio Synergies and Climate Implementation Bridge” Ambassador Aytun stated at the meeting.
Over the years, CARICOM and Türkiye have broadened their engagement through development cooperation, humanitarian assistance, and support for regional initiatives. Recent cooperation has included contributions to regional disaster recovery efforts and the Caribbean Development Fund, as well as assistance to strengthen the CARICOM Secretariat’s information and communications infrastructure.
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About CARICOM:
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) was established on 4 July 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which was revised in 2001 to allow for the establishment of a single market and economy. CARICOM comprises fifteen Member States and eight Associate Members and is home to approximately sixteen million citizens, 60% of whom are under 30 years old. CARICOM’s work rests on four main pillars: economic integration; foreign policy coordination; human and social development; and security cooperation.
The members of CARICOM work together to create a Community that is integrated, inclusive and resilient; driven by knowledge, excellence, innovation and productivity; a Community which is a unified and competitive force in the global arena, where every citizen is secure and has the opportunity to realise his or her potential with guaranteed human rights and social justice, and contributes to, and shares in, its economic, social and cultural prosperity.
CARICOM remains one of the best examples of integration in the developing world.
The CARICOM Secretariat, the principal administrative organ of the Community, is headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana.
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