Jamaica is preparing to host the 49th Regular Meeting of CARICOM in July 2025, focusing on key issues of trade and security under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Andrew Holness. The meeting’s timing is adjusted to accommodate participation in the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is preparing for its 49th Regular Meeting, which will take place in Jamaica in July 2025. During a recent JIS Think Tank, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, announced that Prime Minister Andrew Holness will assume the Chairmanship of CARICOM effective July 1. The meeting aims to address crucial topics such as trade and security.
Senator Johnson Smith emphasized that Prime Minister Holness had previously discussed trade matters at the 48th Regular Meeting held in Barbados in February, as he leads the Prime Ministerial Subcommittee on External Trade Negotiations. She stated, “We’re doing the work between the two meetings to allow for a richer discussion. Security, as you know, is one of the critical constraints on economic growth across all of the countries in the region.”
The Minister also highlighted the Prime Minister’s call for an enhanced global approach to transnational crime, stating, “the connections and the cooperative mechanisms that are needed in a more strategic manner” are likely to feature prominently in discussions. The meeting’s timing is adjusted to follow the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3.
This adjustment ensures that CARICOM Heads of Government, who also serve as Finance Ministers, are able to attend the event in Seville, as noted by Senator Johnson Smith. Consequently, the CARICOM meeting will be held one week later than its usual schedule.
The upcoming 49th Regular Meeting of CARICOM, hosted by Jamaica in July 2025, will focus on significant issues such as trade and security. Prime Minister Andrew Holness will chair the meeting, addressing the region’s economic constraints related to security and transnational crime. The meeting’s schedule has been adjusted to allow attendance at the International Conference in Seville, thus reinforcing the relevance of cooperative financial strategies.
Original Source: jis.gov.jm
