BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Chairman of the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM), the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, on Thursday, signed an settlement with the President of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique (CTM), Serge Letchimy, for the French Caribbean territory’s accession to the regional physique.
“This signing marks a historic milestone in Martinique’s lengthy journey towards regional integration, following its official request to affix CARICOM over a decade in the past. Nevertheless, the ultimate stage of ratification – the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities approval by the French Nationwide Meeting – should nonetheless be accomplished earlier than Martinique can formally change into an Affiliate Member.”
Based on CARICOM, Martinique’s accession presents a singular alternative to strengthen exchanges between the French territory, which is an integral a part of the European Union, and the 21 CARICOM international locations and territories (each Members and Affiliate Members), which embody roughly 18 million individuals.
With its new standing, Martinique will probably be positioned to develop joint tasks in key financial sectors, together with well being care, schooling, transport, and catastrophe threat administration. It will additional set up it as a strategic bridge between the Caribbean and Europe.
“Turning into an Affiliate Member of CARICOM is a key step in Martinique’s broader ambition for regional integration. The French territory has beforehand attained Affiliate Member standing with the United Nations Financial Fee for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in 2012, the Affiliation of Caribbean States (ACS) in 2014, and the Group of Jap Caribbean States (OECS) in 2015.”
Martinique’s accession to CARICOM brings a number of vital advantages for the area, together with increasing entry to Caribbean and European markets whereas diversifying enterprise alternatives, facilitating skilled and educational exchanges for Caribbean consultants and college students, and boosting exchanges with neighboring territories to bolster Caribbean tradition, sports activities, and regional tourism.
