Guyana will preside over the Conference of Heads of Government from January 1 to June 30, 2024, as President Dr. Irfaan Ali prepares to become CARICOM Chairman.
In a statement issued as the incoming Chairman of CARICOM, President Ali stated that the New Year brings renewed opportunities to continue targeted programmes to advance CARICOM’s strategic priorities with the goal of pursuing the region’s development goals and striving for peace and prosperity across the Caribbean Community.
“Regional security is becoming increasingly important,” he argues. We live in a world where peace is under threat from one end of the globe to the other. We finished 2023, however, with CARICOM’s strong role in safeguarding international peace and security in our part of the world, as well as ensuring that Latin America and the Caribbean as a whole remained a Zone of Peace. We will maintain our adherence to international law in 2024. We are all dedicated to settling border disputes amicably and legally.”
Through its “War on Guns” programme, CARICOM will continue to target crime and violence, particularly combating the illegal weapons trade. President Ali says CARICOM will go to every length to restore peace and stability to member state Haiti, adding that the region must remain a safe haven.
Concerning the region’s food and nutrition security, President Ali states that, despite adversity, such as climate change, CARICOM Member States have achieved steady progress towards the ‘25% by 2025’ aim to cut the region’s food import bill.
According to him, the agricultural sector will continue to benefit from anticipated improvements, and a critical component of this programme is the need to strengthen regional transport, which will remain one of CARICOM’s top goals.
Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the outgoing Chairman, was congratulated for his leadership over the last six months.
President Ali says Guyana looks forward to hosting all CARICOM Heads of State and Government to Georgetown in February 2024, when the country will host the 46th regular meeting of the conference and continue CARICOM’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
