Martinique officially took its seat for the first time in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on Sunday during the opening ceremony of the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Saint Lucia.
The milestone follows the French territory’s accession as CARICOM’s seventh Associate Member, which entered into force on June 16, 2026, following the signing of the accession agreement on February 20, 2025, in Bridgetown and the ratification of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of CARICOM.
During the opening ceremony, CARICOM Secretary-General Carla Barnett officially welcomed Martinique, which lies just 20 miles north of Saint Lucia and, on a good day, is visible from the Sandals Grande where the CARICOM meeting is being held.
President of the Executive Council of Martinique, Serge Letchimy, described the occasion as the beginning of a new chapter.
“It took many years for us to be accepted into CARICOM. This shows how difficult it can be to belong to two institutional frameworks at once. But today, we are here.”
Letchimy said Martinique’s accession should not be viewed as the end of the process.
“This should not be seen as an end in itself. It is only the beginning. We must now move into action. Businesses, financing and investment must now come on board.”
Outgoing CARICOM Chairman and Terrance Drew said Martinique’s arrival reflected the organisation’s purpose.
“We believe that together we are stronger. We have a number of institutions that benefit us, and that would be difficult for each country to establish on its own, but together we are able to make them a reality for the benefit of our people.”
According to the statement, Martinique now has a more structured framework for engaging with its Caribbean neighbours.
The President of the Executive Council said he intends to turn that positioning into concrete projects, economic exchanges, cooperation, mobility and investment, with the aim of making Martinique a point of connection between the Caribbean, the Americas, Europe and Africa.
Letchimy concluded: “We are reconnecting with our common home: the Caribbean. A door has been opened. It truly exists. We must now use it.”
