At a high-level panel in Georgetown, Guyana, CARICOM Ambassador Wayne McCook advocated for intensified regional integration as the Caribbean’s primary defense against a fracturing global trade system

​At a high-level panel in Georgetown, Guyana, CARICOM Ambassador Wayne McCook advocated for intensified regional integration as the Caribbean’s primary defense against a fracturing global trade system.
 
He noted that the region is still recovering from a tumultuous 2025, marked by the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa and a dramatic shift toward restrictive international trade policies that disrupted established supply chains.
 
Despite these challenges, Ambassador McCook highlighted that CARICOM exports reached nearly $35 billion in 2024, demonstrating a resilient "oneness" that he believes is essential for navigating the current era of economic nationalism and weakened global rules.
 
To secure the region's economic future in 2026, the Assistant Secretary-General outlined a multi-pronged strategy centered on self-reliance and diversified partnerships.
 
He emphasized the importance of the CARICOM Industrial Policy and Strategy and the "25x25+5" food security agenda, which aims to drastically reduce the region’s multi-billion-dollar food import bill.
 
By advancing the free movement of people and strengthening intra-regional commerce, Ambassador McCook argued that CARICOM can transform from a collection of vulnerable states into a more integrated and strategically positioned community capable of thriving amidst global uncertainty.