Canada and CARICOM have a long history of friendship and cooperation, dating back to colonial times and strengthened by shared values, trade ties and people-to-people links. In recent years, Canada and CARICOM have deepened their partnership on regional and global issues, such as COVID-19 recovery, climate change adaptation and mitigation, security and stability, democracy and human rights.
Government to Government Relations
The Government of Canada, CARICOM and individual Caribbean states have long maintained close diplomatic relations. Both sides are well represented in each others territory and a long history of development cooperation. CARICOM interests in the international financial organizations (International Monetary Fund and the World Bank) are represented by the Canada’s representatives to those organizations.
Development cooperation has been the Canadian program priority in the Caribbean since the period when Caribbean states became independent of the Britain. In those early days, development assistance tended to be bilateral country to country programming and tended to focus on “bricks and mortar” projects. More recently it has taken the form of support for regional CARICOM institutions, and policy-focussed multi-country programs aimed at economic development, disaster insurance, justice systems, security cooperation and gender reform.
The emphasis placed by Canadian governments on the bilateral relationship has ebbed and flowed over time and on occasion it has been suggested that the relationship had seen better days. However, recent years have seen a concerted effort to renew and revitalize the Canada-CARICOM relationship.
Canada and the Caribbean Community – Canadian Site
Other elements of the relationship
Canada-CARICOM relations are not only based on government-to-government interactions but also on vibrant trade and investment flows, cultural exchanges and diaspora connections.
- Canada is one of CARICOM’s major trading partners, with bilateral merchandise trade reaching $2 billion in 2019. Canadian companies have invested in various sectors in CARICOM countries such as banking, mining, tourism and renewable energy.
- Canada also supports education opportunities for Caribbean students through scholarships programs such as ELAP (Emerging Leaders in Americas Program) .
- Moreover, Canada is home to more than half a million people of Caribbean origin who contribute to both societies.
Towards a new Canada-CARICOM relationship
In February 2021, Canada and CARICOM launched a new forum for dialogue and collaboration: the Canada-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Group. This group serves as a platform for Canadian and Caribbean foreign ministers to discuss shared priorities and opportunities for coordinated action. The first meeting of this group focused on the coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic, inclusive economic growth in the region and climate resilience. Canada announced several initiatives to support CARICOM countries in these areas, including an $81.41-million pledge for the replenishment of the Caribbean Development Bank’s Special Development Fund and a commitment of $9-million to the World Food Programme to tackle food insecurity.
In April 2022, Canada and CARICOM held their second meeting of this group, which was co-chaired by Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly and Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Eamon Courtenay. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to sustainability, resilience, climate action and shared values in advance of a leaders summit anticipated for later that year. They also discussed regional security and stability issues, such as maritime and cyber threats, defence cooperation and democratic challenges in Haiti. They agreed to work together in multilateral forums such as the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie to advocate for the needs of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Trade and Development Ministers from Canada have also travelled to the Caribbean to strengthen ties.
In February 2023 Prime Minister Trudeau was invited to meet with CARICOM Heads of Government at their meeting in The Bahamas. The meeting covered a range of topics of mutual interest and concern, such as the situation in Haiti, trade and investment, climate change and resilience, security and stability, democracy and human rights, and regional integration. Prime Minister Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting CARICOM’s development priorities and enhancing cooperation on shared challenges.
Setting the stage – a timeline of meetings
Jan 12, 2021 Inaugural Meeting of the CARICOM-Canada Foreign Ministers’ Group to be held on 13 JANUARY 2021
Feb 19, 2021 Canada/Caribbean deepen partnership at first Canada-Caribbean Community Foreign Ministers’ Group Meeting
Feb 19, 2021 Launch of Canada-Caribbean Community Foreign Ministers’ Group: Co-chair Summary
April 1, 2022 Co-Chairs’ Statement: 2022 Canada-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Group Meeting
April 14, 2022 Minister Ng concludes successful Canada-Caribbean Trade Mission
Feb 16, 2023 Prime Minister Strengthens Ties with the Caribbean
June 22, 2023…Foreign Ministers from Canada and CARICOM meet to discuss Roadmap for Action
Canada-CARICOM Strategic Partnership
October 18-19, 2023 saw a Canada-CARICOM Leaders Summit take place in Ottawa. At this meeting a new approach to the bilateral relationship was announced. This new approach, called the Canada-CARICOM Strategic Partnership, is designed to facilitate a regularized dialogue, at the officials level up to and including Foreign Ministers and Leaders to advance joint iniatives.
Canadian Press Release on Strategic Partnership
Full Text of the Canada-CARICOM Strategic Partnership
Alongside this new approach, Prime Minster Trudeau and several Caribbean Leaders have been partnered by the Secretary General of the United Nations to advance important UN initiatives such as achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Financing for Development.
Selected links
“Who Lost the Caribbean” – Paul Durand, 2016
“CARICOM/Canada Relations: Know your friends” – Elizabeth Morgan, 2019
The CCI sponsored several Panel Discussions on the development of the Strategic Partnership. See links to videos below
Canada – CARICOM: Shaping a New Partnership for Recovery and Resilience – May 25, 2022
The Canada-CARICOM Strategic Partnership: A Significant Move Forward? – July 11, 2024