The theme Vibrant Societies, Resilient Economies, will guide Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government as they tackle a packed agenda at their Thirty-Sixth Summit that will be held 2-4 July, 2015, in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Discussions will focus on issues including energy, in the context of a proposal for a new institution to lead the Region’s energy agenda; the CARICOM Single Market and Economy; technological advancement in CARICOM; mechanisms for identifying CARICOM candidates for international positions; CARICOM relations with the Dominican Republic; and border issues between Guyana and Venezuela, and Belize and Guatemala.

A High-Level Strategic Dialogue between the CARICOM Heads of Government and His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary-General, will precede the Conference in the morning of Thursday 2 July, also guided by the theme, CARICOM: Vibrant Societies, Resilient Economies, A Partnership for Implementation.

It will provide an opportunity for CARICOM Heads of Government to engage the UN Secretary-General on the Community’s sustainable development agenda as attention now pivots around three imminent international conferences: The Third International Conference on Financing for Development; the UN Summit on the Post-2015 Development Agenda; and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP 21. The Conferences have significant bearing on the future global agenda and the development of the Community.

With the Strategic Plan for the Community 2015-2019 and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Accelerated Modalities of Actions (Samoa Pathway) also in focus, discussions with the UN Secretary-General will seek to rationalise an integrated approach to the sustainable development in the Community, as it seeks to make vibrant societies and resilient economies a reality. The Samoa Pathway emanated from the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in September 2014.

The CARCOM Heads of Government Conference will commence with a formal ceremony on Thursday evening at the Hilton Barbados Resort. Outgoing Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government, the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, and incoming Chairman, the Rt. Hon Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados, are among the Heads of Government who will make addresses at the opening ceremony. Newly elected and re-elected Heads of Government of Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Guyana, Dominica, and Suriname, as well as CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, will also speak at the ceremony.

Ambassadors accredited to CARICOM, CARICOM Institutions, and organisations including the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and Association of Caribbean States (ACS) will be represented at the opening of the Conference.

Space has been carved out during the Conference for special engagements with the outgoingCommonwealth Secretary-General, His Excellency Kamalesh Sharma, and President of the Republic of Panama, H.E. Juan Carlos Varela Rodrίguez.

The Meeting will see representation from Fourteen Member States and Two Associate Members with only one not being represented at the level of Head of Government.