Antigua and Barbuda is now chairing the 31st session of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) for the period 2026-2028, marking a pivotal moment for the nation as it now takes leadership in navigating some of the most pressing challenges facing the region.
The chairmanship was handed over to Antigua and Barbuda by Trinidad and Tobago during the 22nd meeting of the CDCC held in Trinidad last week.
The CDCC was established in 1975 by way of resolution by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). It was given the mandate to foster regional cooperation for economic and social development.
Today it is championing the unique concerns of Caribbean small island developing states, including developing collective responses to challenges including climate change, disaster resilience, sustainable financing, as well as deepening South-South cooperation.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Walton Webson, who was in Trinidad for the formal hand over, welcomed the country’s new leadership role at the forefront of another distinguished and influential body as both opportune and timely.
“This leadership mandate could not have come at a better time, as it will help us to champion the ABAS decade as the regional implementation framework for SIDS resilience,” Ambassador Webson noted.
“It strengthens our position as the major driver of the operational expansion of the SIDS Centre of Excellence while at the same time affords us the opportunity to deepen technical partnerships across Latin America and the Caribbean,” he continued.
Ambassador Webson says other major priorities during Antigua and Barbuda’s term as Chair will include establishing robust investment pipelines and pursuing climate financing reform for Caribbean SIDS.
“The CDCC, under Antigua and Barbuda’s leadership, must continue to advocate for fairness, predictability, and resilience as pillars of a new financial architecture for island states,” he affirmed.
Ambassador Webson further extended appreciation to Trinidad and Tobago, the outgoing chair, for its strong stewardship and commitment to Caribbean integration and development during its chairmanship.
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