Caricom-Saudi Summit: Food security, tourism, trade & investments among areas for cooperation

– as leaders pledge to enhance bilateral ties

Leaders from the Caribbean Community and Saudi Arabia have committed to enhancing bilateral ties between the two regions by exploring further cooperation in areas such as agriculture, tourism as well as trade and investments, among others.
This was the outcome of the first Saudi Arabia-Caricom Summit held on November 16, 2023, in Riyadh. President Dr Irfaan Ali, who led Guyana’s delegation, was among Caribbean leaders who travelled to the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the inaugural conference.
The summit was co-chaired by the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and current Chairman of Caricom, Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit. The Caricom Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett, also participated in the event.
During the summit, the leaders reaffirmed their mutual interests and friendly relations. They also exchanged views on issues of common interest and discussed ways to further expand and advance their partnership to take advantage of the growth opportunities that can be utilised through cooperation between their two dynamic regions based on a shared vision and the values embodied in the United Nations (UN) Charter.

According to a joint statement on Friday, the leaders declared to join efforts to promote peace, security, stability and prosperity, through mutual respect and cooperation between countries and regions, as well as to achieve sustainable development and progress and maintain the rules-based international order based on adherence to international law and the UN Charter.
They also agreed to “Undertake consultations and explore cooperation on specific areas of common interest between both sides, namely education (scholarships), health, maritime cooperation, connectivity, logistics, food security, energy security, tourism economic and other possible areas of cooperation, where appropriate, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Strengthening ties between Caricom and Saudi Arabia at the multilateral and bilateral levels and in global fora by pursuing opportunities for sustainable development, peace, security and stability, and tourism infrastructure development was also another commitment. The two sides also pledged to create business opportunities in the ICT/Global Digital Services sector and boost trade and investment flows by creating mutually beneficial opportunities for joint investments, with special emphasis on sustainable infrastructure, renewables, trade, tourism, logistics, and connectivity.
Also coming out of the summit is the promotion of trade and investment relations between Saudi Arabia and Caricom, by enhancing public-private partnership and business-to-business relations between both regions, using available and new physical and online platforms, trade missions, exhibitions, seminars, conferences, and dialogue.
Supporting Saudi Arabia’s bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh was also agreed upon, highlighting the importance of organising regional and international exhibitions to re-energise economic and cultural exchanges between Saudi Arabia and Caricom. This was done against the backdrop of individual Caricom Member States pledging their support for Saudi Arabia’s candidature to host Expo 2030.
The two sides also committed to “Cooperate in the development of sustainable and circular agriculture and in the promotion of sustainable food production, sustainable use and management of water resources and promote trade and investment opportunities in food and agri-based industries and encourage the exchange of information, sharing of experiences, research, modern technologies and best practices, as well as through conducting capacity building activities.”
Caricom and the Saudia Arabian Government further pledged to promote dialogue among the peoples and cultures of both sides to enhance trust and advance mutual understanding and greater respect for diversity, thus contributing to a culture of peace.
Building on the two regions’ cultural diversity, openness and rich history was another agreement which stresses that tolerance and peaceful coexistence are among the most important values and principles for friendly relations between nations and cultures.

“[The leaders also vowed to] promote the cultural and creative industries of Caricom and Saudi Arabia through cultural festivals, art exhibitions, film festivals, workshops, book fairs and other events. Furthermore, encourage the exchange of best practices and capacity building in the areas of museology, protection, conservation and restoration of cultural and historical heritage,” the joint statement detailed.
Another outcome of the summit was the promotion of cooperation in the area of tourism, including heritage, cruise, sustainable and ecotourism, medical and wellness, and tourism, by undertaking benchmarking activities, joint tourism investments, and strengthening capacity-building.
The leaders further stressed the importance and urgency of promoting joint action towards mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts, protecting the environment and developing low-carbon and clean energy technologies.
They “reaffirm the importance of working together to confront the global challenges related to climate change, committing to all efforts to address this urgent issue by setting and achieving ambitious goals to reduce emissions, adopting renewable energy production, and clean technologies including for abatement and removal, promoting equitable access to climate financing for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to support mitigation and adaptation measures, and finding innovative technical solutions that will accelerate the transition to low-emission economies, and continuing to explore sustainable and inclusive pathways to implement the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
Meanwhile, the Caribbean leaders welcomed Saudi Arabia’s Middle East Green Initiative (MGI), and its announcement to establish and host a dedicated MGI Secretariat and allocate US$2.5 billion to support MGI projects and governance.
The Middle Eastern nation also secured the Caribbean’s support for its announcement about the establishment of an international water organisation based in Riyadh, calling for further decisive global action.
Another area of cooperation highlighted is the important role that Caricom and Saudi Arabia can play in hosting major sporting events. To this end, the summit endorsed the candidacy of Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup and welcomed the Caribbean hosting the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024.
In recognition of important initiatives arrived at by Saudi Arabia and Caricom in their respective regions, a decision was also taken to hold the second Saudi Arabia-Caricom Summit in 2026. (Vahnu Manickchand)