Outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland attends final CARICOM meeting

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland KC attended the 48th Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Bridgetown, Barbados, which kicked off on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. 

For the Dominican-born British barrister, it was the final appearance at the CARICOM heads of government meeting since her tenure is set to conclude on March 31 after a period of nine years. She went to the CARICOM event after attending a felicitation ceremony in India. 

Hailing the CARICOM, Scotland said after reaching Barbados, “It’s a great privilege and honour to be in here in what will be my last CARICOM heads’ meeting as the secretary-general and to see how this region has come together and remain resilient, strong, joyous in the most difficult times. Unity is the theme and that is what we have seen today real unity -- Caribbean style.”

The theme of this year’s meeting, taking place under the new chair Mia Amor Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, is “Strength in Unity: Forging Caribbean Resilience, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development”.

Scotland to address plenary session

Ahead of Scotland’s visit to Barbados, a release from the Office of the Commonwealth Secretariat said the secretary-general would use the platform to showcase the Commonwealth’s continued support for small island states. She would also aim to reinforce the region’s place at the centre of global talks on sustainability and development. 

It said the outgoing Commonwealth chief would address a plenary session at the CARICOM meeting, where she would give an update on the Commonwealth Secretariat’s support for the Commonwealth CARICOM members, with focus on artificial intelligence, climate change and debt management. She would also outline the impact of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub which supports vulnerable nations to secure funds to tackle climate-related challenges. 

‘I am proud to have worked alongside CARICOM leaders’

Ahead of the regional event, Scotland said, “As I conclude my tenure as Commonwealth secretary-general, I am proud to have worked alongside CARICOM leaders to advance our shared values of democracy, human rights, and sustainable development. Our collaboration has been a shining example of what can be achieved through unity and cooperation.

“The Caribbean region is at the forefront of climate resilience and sustainable development, and I am honoured to have played a part in supporting these efforts. As I attend my final CARICOM meeting as Secretary-General, I reaffirm the Commonwealth's commitment to continue working with the region to address its unique challenges.”

Besides the formal sessions, Scotland was also scheduled to meet various regional leaders of CARICOM to discuss issues such as digital resilience, food security, external relations and the much-talked-about CARICOM Single Market and Economy. According to the Commonwealth Secretariat, these talks will define the organisation’s role in supporting the Caribbean nations in the coming years.  

The secretary-general would also give an update on next year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda. There, climate change, international trade and the unique challenges that the small-island developing states face will be focused on. 

Speaking about the CHOGM, Scotland said her successor Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the former foreign minister of Ghana, would visit the Caribbean next year for the occasion. She said that the new secretary-general would build on the collective progress achieved over the years.

Scotland meets UN secretary-general

The Commonwealth secretary met her counterpart in the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, who also attended the opening ceremony of the event, on the sidelines of the event on Thursday, February 20, 2025, and discussed several pressing issues. 

She spoke about their meeting on her social media pages, saying, “Pleased to meet with United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on the sidelines of the #CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in #Barbados.

“We discussed the importance of multilateral cooperation to deliver tangible results for the people we serve.”

“We covered key areas, including the use of the #Commonwealth SDG Analysis to assess performance in our member countries, smart debt management and harnessing digital solutions – particularly AI for development – to accelerate progress and build resilience.”

Twelve CARICOM states are among the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries.