Ali downplays impact of CARICOM’s differences

Last Updated on Monday, 2 February 2026, 22:00 by Writer

President Irfaan Ali on Monday sought to soften the impact of differences in the 15-nation Caribbean Community (CARICOM), even suggesting that that would be good for the regional integration movement.

“Within CARICOM, differences of opinions should not be viewed as divisive. While we must strive earnestly for consensus, a plurality of views, and at times divergence in perspectives are essential to the vitality of our deliberations,” he said in an address to a joint sitting of Belize’s National Assembly.

His remarks came against the backdrop of Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago backing recent United States (US) actions to go after narco-terrorists in the Caribbean Sea.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar had said given the violent and deadly spate of crime in the region, the Caribbean was not a zone of peace. President Ali had subsequently cited the “aspiration” of that zone.

Back in December, 2025 Ms Persad-Bissessar had deemed CARICOM as “not a reliable partner at this time” and said the regional organisation’s support for the then Maduro-led Venezuela further undermined its credibility.

Dr Ali – who arrived in Belize on Sunday for a three-day visit during which he is expected to sign a series of agreements on tourism, technology, education and agriculture – also told the Belize National Assembly that differences of positions were also good for the regional integration movement.

“Such diversity sharpens analysis, strengthens decision-making, and ensures that outcomes are more inclusive and reflective of our lived realities. Respectful disagreements are not a source of fragmentation,” he said.

Stressing that CARICOM has stood the test of time for more than 50 years, remaining resilient and relevant in a changing global environment, the Guyanese leader said the time had come to strengthen that organisation. “It is now incumbent upon us to make the community stronger, more responsive, and better equipped to serve both the collective and national interests of our peoples. This requires renewal, commitment, and a shared sense of purpose,” he said. 

He cited the recently concluded partnership agreement between the European Union (EU) and MERCOSUR – Mercado Común del Sur (Southern Common Market) – as a clear illustration of the benefits of inter-regional cooperation in a complex and evolving global economy. He said that reflected a growing recognition that collective engagement across regions can expand market access, strengthen economic resilience, and enhance influence for participating states.

However, in spite of an EU-voted approval this past January on the landmark trade agreement, ending more than two decades of negotiations, several hurdles, including significant opposition, remain. MERCUSOR still faces major divisive challenges, including internal political friction, disagreement over China’s growing influence in Latin America, and concerns over how to accommodate differing national interests with persistent economic inequality with the pall of deepening Trump administration influence in the hemisphere.