CARICOM and Spain sign new agreement to boost regional health response

Healthcare systems across the Caribbean are expected to benefit from additional regional support following the signing of a new cooperation agreement between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Government of Spain.

CARICOM Communications shared in a press release that under the arrangement, Spain will provide €400,000 toward a regional initiative titled “Strengthening Regional Leadership, Governance and Coordinated Action in Health to Address New and Existing Health Challenges in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).” The project is being carried out jointly by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Public Health Agency.

The agreement was officially signed on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, during the Tenth Meeting of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the CARICOM–Spain Joint Fund for Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Signatories included CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett and Spain’s Ambassador to CARICOM, María Cristina Pérez Gutiérrez.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, co-Chair and Assistant Secretary-General in the Foreign and Community Relations Directorate, Elizabeth Solomon, highlighted the significance of the longstanding collaboration between CARICOM and Spain.

She noted that “the CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund continues to play an important role in advancing regional priorities through cooperation that has evolved into a results-oriented programme of support that is both practical and responsive delivering tangible benefits to the people of the Caribbean Community.”

The release said that Ambassador Pérez Gutiérrez also reiterated Spain’s ongoing support for the region, stating, “Spain values its partnership with CARICOM and remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen resilience, sustainability and regional cooperation.”

During the meeting, officials also reviewed two proposed regional projects valued together at US$700,000.

One of the proposals focuses on the “Greening Caribbean Ports Programme (GCPP): Advancing Sustainable Maritime Infrastructure in Caribbean Small Island Developing States.” The initiative is expected to be undertaken by the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and the Port Management Association of the Caribbean.

A second proposal, “Strengthening the Caribbean Emergency Response Capabilities through the Next Level Regional Response Mechanism (RRM),” is expected to be implemented by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.

Reportedly, representatives from both CARICOM and Spain also reaffirmed the importance of the CARICOM–Spain Joint Fund, describing it as a critical mechanism for advancing regional development priorities and enhancing technical cooperation between the two sides.