CARICOM 47th Heads of Government Meeting begins in Grenada, focuses on regional issues

Grenada: The 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM is scheduled to take place in St. George’s, Grenada from 28-30 July 2024. This time, it will be hosted by CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of Grenada Dickon Mitchell. The event will address several key regional issues, including food security, climate change, economic cooperation and digital resilience.

The Heads of Government Meeting is a regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. It is a biennial event that takes place every year in February and July.

It is the meeting of the highest body of CARICOM, where decisions affecting the Community are taken.

The agendas to be discussed during the 47th meeting^e The meeting will include agri-food systems: focus on food and nutrition security, climate change and sustainable development, foreign policy, CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), cooperation with social partners and in particular the impact of Hurricane Beryl.

Key discussions include: Multilateral Air Services Agreement (MASA): Internal Market for Air Transport, Assessment of Progress towards Full Freedom of Movement and Reducing Food Imports: Targets for 2025 and Regional Digital Resilience Strategy 2025-2030.

The special guest for the event is Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. In addition, guests of honour who will receive the Order of the Caribbean Community at the opening ceremony (28 July 2024) are Clive Hubert Lloyd, legendary Guyanese cricketer and Roderick Rainford, former Secretary-General of CARICOM.

The opening ceremony will take place today, 28 July 2024, at St. George’s University. The speakers for the session are Dickon Mitchell, Chair; Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Outgoing Chair; Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of CARICOM.

Also, on July 29, 2024, the Business Session will be held at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort, Grand Anse. It is best known as the birthplace of the Grand Anse Declaration and Work Programme (July 12, 1989)

The Grand Anse Declaration was intended to enhance economic and political cooperation between member states, with emphasis on sovereignty, non-interference and equality principles. It led in particular to the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM will conclude on 30 July 2024 with a closing ceremony at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort, which will take place in the evening at approximately 16:30 hrs.

In addition, guests and Heads of State began to arrive and Prime Minister and new Chairman of CARICOM Dickon Mitchell welcomed the outgoing Chairman of CARICOM and President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and his delegation to Grenada for the 47th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM.