(Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) - The First Meeting of the CARICOM-Brazil Joint Commission convened on 30 April, marking a significant milestone in advancing technical cooperation between the sides.

Co-chaired by Permanent Secretary of Dominica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, Ms. Barbara Dailey, and Deputy Director of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, Ambassador Luiza Lopes Silva, the meeting followed the agreement by CARICOM Heads of Government and the President of Brazil at the Second CARICOM-Brazil Summit in February 2024 to convene the first meeting of the Joint Commission at the earliest opportunity.

In her remarks, Ms. Dailey highlighted the Joint Commission’s role in facilitating structured dialogue to advance joint projects.

“The Community especially appreciates Brazil’s readiness to support efforts to address priority areas for the Region in climate change, food and energy security, regional security, intra-regional connectivity, and sustainable development,” she said.

Describing the meeting as “critical and timely,” the CARICOM co-chair noted that it occurred at a time when the new political environment in the hemisphere was marked by “deeply divisive and challenging issues.”

These challenges compel CARICOM and Brazil to strengthen collective action further, she added, highlighting the importance of collaborating to address climate change, which poses a significant threat to both parties.

In this context, the CARICOM co-chair called for continued support and advocacy for the concerns of Small Islands and Low-lying Coastal Developing States in international fora, highlighting COP 30, to be held in November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, a location that serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency of climate action.

The CARICOM side also lauded Brazil’s commitment to multilateralism, sovereignty, international law, cooperation, and its continued influence on global platforms in supporting the concerns of the global south. The upcoming Caribbean-Brazil Summit in June 2025, which offers another opportunity to strengthen cooperation was also highlighted.

Ambassador Luiza Lopes Silva underscored the significance of the First Meeting of the CARICOM-Brazil Joint Commission, noting that preparations had been ongoing for several years.

Now that the CARICOM-Brazil Joint Commission is activated, Brazil is eager to begin joint efforts focused on specific cooperation possibilities and is committed to overcoming challenges such as language barriers through collaboration, the Brazilian Ambassador stated.

She informed that the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, established in 1987, has focused on building relationships with Latin America and Portuguese-speaking nations in Africa. Now, it is focused on strengthening relations with its neighbors to the north in the Caribbean.

The meeting included officials from CARICOM Member States, the CARICOM Secretariat, CARICOM Institutions, as well as representatives from Brazil’s Cooperation Agency and government ministries.