CARIBBEAN SECURES MAJOR U.S. FUNDING PACKAGE

Several Caribbean countries are to benefit from a major aid programme with significant trade components from the United States.

US$340 million has been allocated to the region, directed at a series of projects focused on “opportunities for projects in energy, critical minerals, ports, and digital infrastructure that will create jobs and growth in both the United States and the Caribbean.”

The U.S. State Department announced that on October 15, Deputy Secretary of State Landau hosted the U.S.-Caribbean Dialogue at the Department of State, fulfilling Secretary of State Mark Rubio’s commitment to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government at their February meeting in Saint Kitts and Nevis. 

High-level delegations from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago attended the Washington meeting.

The US-Caribbean Dialogue was held under the theme ‘United States Hosts Caribbean Dialogue to Advance Shared Security and Prosperity’.

DEVELOPMENT

The new funding package is directed at a series of projects focused on “opportunities for projects in energy, critical minerals, ports, and digital infrastructure that will create jobs and growth in both the United States and the Caribbean.”

According to the State department, “Dialogue sessions addressed energy security, economic growth, critical infrastructure, trusted technology, disaster response and health cooperation, and the fight against narco-terrorists and transnational criminal organizations.” It also said participants discussed access to U.S. energy and technology, fair and transparent procurement, trusted digital and port infrastructure, self-sufficient health workforces, and closer coordination to disrupt illicit narcotics and firearms trafficking.

Funding and cooperation were also announced under a series of specific headings.

Under the heading of ‘Advancing US-Caribbean Commercial Diplomacy’, a Caribbean Investment Summit has been scheduled for early 2027 “to connect U.S. companies, financiers, and government finance agencies with Caribbean partners to help them close deals in open, competitive markets.”

There is also a component labelled ‘Promoting Trusted Digital Technology’ with a Caribbean and Central America Undersea Cables Program. For this, the Department of State announced $175.8 million “to expand trusted, high-speed undersea cable connectivity across the Caribbean and Central America and make trusted connections more resilient to disruption.”

Another category is ‘Strengthening Health Self-Sufficiency’ under the Americas Strategic Partnership for Independent Regional Healthcare Excellence (ASPIRE). It says that working with Congress, the Department of State intends to provide $61.5 million through ASPIRE to help Caribbean governments build self-sufficient health workforces by hiring health professionals ethically and transparently, with fair pay going to the workers themselves.

SECURITY

The other area is ‘Advancing Regional Security Through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI)’. The three elements listed under that are: Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Maritime Resources, Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation, and the CBSI Security Ministerial.

Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Maritime Resources: The Department of State announced $37 million in CBSI programming to secure critical digital infrastructure and ports, and counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation: The State Department announced $66 million in CBSI programming to strengthen Caribbean partners’ ability to counter transnational criminal organisations and secure the region’s borders.  The total includes $55 million in International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement assistance and $11 million in Foreign Military Financing.

CBSI Security Ministerial: The United States will work with Caribbean security ministers and the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) to convene the next CBSI Security Ministerial in spring 2027.