Excerpt and Photo from stvincenttimes.com
At the 48th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Barbados, an agreement was signed by the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Hon. Mia Mottley, in her capacity as Chairman of the regional organization, and the President of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique (CTM), Serge Letchimy, for Martinique’s accession to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
This signing marks a historic milestone in Martinique’s long journey toward regional integration, following its official request to join CARICOM over a decade ago. However, the final stage of ratification – the approval of the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities by the French National Assembly – must still be completed before Martinique can officially become an Associate Member.
Martinique’s accession presents a unique opportunity to strengthen exchanges between the French territory, as an integral part of the European Union, and the 21 CARICOM countries and territories (both Members and Associate Members), encompassing approximately 18 million people. With its new status, Martinique will be positioned to develop joint projects in key economic sectors, including health care, education, transport, and disaster risk management, further establishing itself as a strategic bridge between the Caribbean and Europe.