Convened by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the meeting brought together heads of state and ministers from Brazil, Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and 13 other Caribbean nations in a joint effort to revitalize South-South integration in the face of common challenges.
One of the main announcements was the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) pledge to allocate $290 million to Haiti to strengthen school feeding programs, rebuild hospitals, and rehabilitate basic infrastructure.
The situation in Haiti dominated the discussions, and Lula urged the United Nations and the international community to take a more active role and strengthen their diplomatic and humanitarian presence in the Caribbean country.
Along the same lines, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said that “Haiti needs the world’s support more than ever.”
Another central theme was climate change, with participants agreeing to demand solid financing from developed countries, especially for small island states, at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP30), to be held in November in the Amazonian city of Belém.
Lula also proposed promoting the shared use of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, and biofuels), highlighting the potential for technological and production cooperation between Brazil and the Caribbean.
Faced with an obvious reality that affects more than 12 million Caribbean people, the commitment to the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty was reinforced.
Cuba, Barbados, Saint Lucia, and the IDB formally joined this initiative, which includes other countries in the region.
Initiatives to improve air, sea, and land connectivity between Brazil and the Caribbean were also announced.
With the support of the Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank (CAF), the forum “Brazil Opens Its Doors to the Caribbean” will be promoted, focusing on boosting trade and logistics integration.
Cuba played an active role in the meeting. Its vice president, Salvador Valdés, held several meetings with Caribbean prime ministers and thanked the region and the Brazilian government for their strong support in denouncing the US blockade.
The summit concluded with a renewed commitment to regional cooperation.
Beyond urgent aid to Haiti, a common roadmap was outlined toward COP30, marked by climate justice, food sovereignty, and energy integration, in an effort to consolidate a voice for the Global South.
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