SAN PEDRO, Ambergris Caye, Thurs. Mar. 3, 2022– At the conclusion of the Fourth CARICOM-SICA Summit, held in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, heads of state/government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Central American Integration System (SICA) signed the Joint Declaration of San Pedro. With the declaration, the leaders of both sub-regions acknowledge the socioeconomic challenges that have been created by the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic and also recognize the value in their countries’ geographic proximity and shared values. The declaration expresses both SICA and CARICOM’s commitment to strengthening relations in the name of economic recovery.
As we previously mentioned in last Friday’s issue of AMANDALA, the joint meeting is the first to be held in just over a decade. In the declaration, the heads of government emphasize the importance of meeting at more regular intervals “to consult and coordinate on issues of mutual interest on the regional and international agendas.”
“[We] recognize the transformative force of regional integration in achieving inclusive sustainable development outcomes, and commit to continue strengthening their respective regional integration platforms of which they are members, and for others in which we share membership,”stated the declaration.
The main focus of the CARICOM-SICA Summit was the discussion of ways to navigate the common challenges that both sub-regions have been facing. In response to those challenges, and as documented in the Joint Declaration of San Pedro, the sub-regions will now be seeking to strengthen foreign policy consultation; encourage dialogue between Caribbean and Central American institutions in banking, trade, agriculture, tourism, disaster prevention, and more; strengthen cooperation in regards to climate change, including through collaboration between the CARICOM Climate Change Center (CCCCC) and the Central American Commission for the Environment and Development (CCAD); and work together to strengthen the health systems of the region.
The Summit, like the 33rd Inter-Sessional CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting held on the island earlier in the week, was deemed a tremendous success. The conclusion of both meetings has set a pathway to a future of continued partnership and cooperation as the region strives to achieve a level of recovery that is both sustainable and resilient.