The Caribbean Community has entered a new chapter as Saint Lucia's Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre officially assumed the rotating chairmanship of CARICOM on July 1.
Taking over from Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Pierre pledged to make regional integration more meaningful for everyday Caribbean people by focusing on practical results rather than policy alone.
Among his top priorities are accelerating the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, improving the free movement of skilled workers and businesses, strengthening food security, enhancing regional security, and securing greater international funding for climate resilience and public health initiatives.
Pierre said the success of CARICOM should ultimately be measured by whether citizens experience better opportunities, easier travel, and improved quality of life throughout the region.
His appointment builds on the international leadership of outgoing Chair Mia Mottley, who spent her tenure positioning the Caribbean as a leading voice on climate justice, reform of the global financial system, vaccine equity, and reparatory justice. She also strengthened relations between CARICOM and Africa, championing closer trade, diplomacy, and cultural cooperation.
In a landmark address delivered in Ghana, Mottley called for a fairer world order, rejected the idea of "first-class and second-class nations," and urged African and Caribbean countries to work together to reshape global institutions. She also renewed CARICOM's commitment to the regional reparations movement, arguing that seeking justice for the legacy of slavery is "never the wrong time to do the right thing."
As Pierre begins his six-month term, he says CARICOM will continue building on that foundation while ensuring regional cooperation delivers real benefits for the people it serves.
Quick Fact: CARICOM was established in 1973 and today brings together 15 member states to advance economic integration, coordinated foreign policy, climate action, security, and the free movement of people, goods, and services across the Caribbean.