GEORGETOWN, Guyana – CARICOM and the government of Spain, on 6 May 2026, formalised Spain’s €400,000 contribution to “Strengthening Regional Leadership, Governance and Coordinated Action in Health to Address New and Existing Health Challenges in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM),” which is being implemented by the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).
The agreement was signed by CARICOM secretary-general, Dr Carla Barnett, and ambassador of Spain to CARICOM, Her Excellency María Cristina Pérez Gutiérrez, during the Tenth Meeting of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the CARICOM–Spain Joint Fund for Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
Assistant secretary-general, foreign and community relations directorate, Elizabeth Solomon underscored the value of the CARICOM-Spain partnership, noting:
“The CARICOM-Spain Joint Fund continues to play an important role in advancing regional priorities through cooperation that has evolved into a results-oriented programme of support that is both practical and responsive, delivering tangible benefits to the people of the Caribbean Community.”
Her Excellency Pérez Gutiérrez, reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to CARICOM, stating:
“Spain values its partnership with CARICOM and remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen resilience, sustainability and regional cooperation.”
The Committee considered two new regional project proposals with a combined value of USD 700,000.
The first proposal targets “Greening Caribbean Ports Programme (GCPP): Advancing Sustainable Maritime Infrastructure in Caribbean Small Island Developing States,” and is expected to be implemented by the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) and the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC).
The second proposal, titled “Strengthening the Caribbean Emergency Response Capabilities through the Next Level Regional Response Mechanism (RRM),” is expected to be implemented by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
“Both sides reaffirmed the CARICOM–Spain Joint Fund as a key instrument for supporting priority regional initiatives and strengthening technical cooperation between CARICOM and Spain,” said a CARICOM press release.