At the 48th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting just convened in Barbados, an agreement was signed by the host Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, in her capacity as Chairman of the regional entity, and President of the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique (CTM), Serge Letchimy, for Martinique’s accession to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

This signing marks a historic milestone in Martinique’s long journey toward regional integration, following its official request to join CARICOM over a decade ago. However, the final stage of ratification – the approval of the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities by the French National Assembly – must still be completed before Martinique can officially become an Associate Member.

Martinique’s accession presents a unique opportunity to strengthen exchanges between the French territory, as an integral part of the European Union, and the 21 CARICOM countries and territories (both Members and Associate Members), encompassing approximately 18 million people. With its new status, Martinique will be positioned to develop joint projects in key economic sectors, including health care, education, transport, and disaster risk management, further establishing itself as a strategic bridge between the Caribbean and Europe.

Becoming an Associate Member of CARICOM is a key step in Martinique’s broader ambition for regional integration. The French territory has previously attained Associate Member status with the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in 2012, the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) in 2014, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in 2015.

Martinique’s accession to CARICOM brings several significant benefits for the region:

• Economic development: Expanding access to Caribbean and European markets while diversifying business opportunities.
• Enhanced cooperation: Strengthening collaboration in key areas such as health care, education, security, and crisis management.
• Mobility and employment: Facilitating professional and academic exchanges for Caribbean consultants and students.
• Tourism, sports and culture: Boosting exchanges with neighboring territories to reinforce Caribbean culture, sports, and regional tourism.

Through this accession, Martinique reaffirms its deep Caribbean identity and commitment to fostering development and innovation within CARICOM.