CARICOM IMPACS oversees new regional security plan

Amid escalating security challenges and a swiftly changing geopolitical and geo-economic environment, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) has initiated the formulation of a new CARICOM Security Strategy (CSS). A report from the organization stated that the process was launched during the first meeting of the CSS Steering Committee, which took place online on April 24, 2025. It further characterized the assembly as significant and marking a vital milestone in the development of a strategic, future-oriented, and unified regional security framework designed to address both current and anticipated issues in the Caribbean.

According to the report, the CSS will act as the main policy framework for the Region, guiding nations and regional as well as international agencies in confronting the increasing array of security challenges within the Caribbean. The strategy will reportedly take into account present geopolitical contexts, align with regional developmental goals, and encompass emerging matters like artificial intelligence (AI), while incorporating rights-and-responsibility-based approaches and health-informed methods. Furthermore, it will aim to stimulate the modernization and enhancement of both national and regional security institutions, ensuring they are adaptable, resilient, and effective.

“The current environment demands a recalibrated and adaptive regional strategy – one that strengthens our collective capacity to anticipate, prevent and respond to multidimensional threats,” stated Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS. “The strategy must reflect the urgency of this moment while offering practical solutions rooted in Caribbean realities and aligned with evolving global norms,” he continued.

The Steering Committee responsible for overseeing the development of the CSS includes representatives from five CARICOM Member States: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Chairs from the CARICOM Standing Committees of Operational Heads, which comprise Police, Military, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, and Intelligence. Additionally, it unites pivotal regional institutions such as the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the Regional Security System (RSS), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the University of the West Indies (UWI), alongside participants from the private sector, youth groups, civil society, and international development partners including Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Mr. Callixtus Joseph, Assistant Director (Ag), Policy, Strategy and Innovation at CARICOM IMPACS, delivered key presentations that elaborated on the foundational rationale for the refreshed strategy. He highlighted that the evolving nature, scope, and complexity of modern threats, combined with the notable transformations in the global and regional security landscape, necessitate innovative approaches and strategic realignment. He pointed out that the CSS will offer a prospective, action-driven blueprint.

“This strategy will serve as a unifying framework to drive smarter, faster, and more adaptive responses to evolving threats. It will harness the full potential of frontier technologies such as AI, predictive analytics, and digital innovation to strengthen national and regional capabilities and accelerate institutional modernization,” he clarified.

“Above all, it will reaffirm CARICOM’s unwavering commitment to collective security as the cornerstone of sustainable development, regional resilience and a safer, more prosperous future for all Caribbean citizens,” he concluded, as referenced in the IMPACS press release.