Martinique and Barbados have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening ties in areas including trade, tourism, education, culture, health and disaster risk management.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 51st CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting here this week, by the President of Martinique’s Executive Council, Serge Letchimy, and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
Martinique said the agreement marks a significant step in its regional integration efforts following its accession as an associate member of CARICOM in February 2025.
‘This agreement marks a major political milestone in Martinique’s renewed and fully asserted place within its natural regional environment: the Caribbean,’ Martinique said in a statement.
Letchimy said the agreement reflects Martinique’s commitment to playing an active role within the regional bloc.
‘Martinique is not simply taking its seat at the CARICOM table. It is here to build, propose, cooperate and act. With Barbados, we are opening a new chapter: one of useful, operational, organised and results-driven Caribbean cooperation.
‘We share a common responsibility: to turn our geographical, historical and human proximity into concrete projects for our peoples,’ he said.
The agreement establishes a framework for cooperation in cultural and creative industries, sport, education, vocational training, disaster risk management, health, tourism, fisheries and trade facilitation.
Martinique said the priorities are intended to expand opportunities for young people, strengthen workforce skills, improve economic connectivity, enhance resilience to climate-related risks, support productive sectors and promote culture as a tool for regional cooperation and development.
Under the agreement, a Joint Cooperation Committee, co-chaired by Barbados and Martinique, will oversee implementation by setting priorities, approving programmes, monitoring progress and reviewing results.
A Technical Secretariat will also be established to coordinate projects and produce annual reports outlining activities undertaken, resources used, performance indicators, challenges encountered and priorities for the following year.
The agreement, which is valid for five years and renewable, provides what Martinique described as a structured and measurable framework for long-term cooperation.
Martinique said the initiative reinforces its ambition to serve as a bridge between the Caribbean, Europe, the Americas and Africa.