The 62nd Council for Trade & Economic Development (COTED) regular meeting chaired by Dominica Foreign Affairs Minister Vince Henderson addressed overlapping global crises that threaten regional stability

The Sixty-Second Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) commenced on June 11, 2026, at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana. Chaired by the Honorable Dr. Vince Henderson, Dominica's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, the high-level session centered on addressing multiple overlapping global crises that threaten regional stability. 

​In her opening remarks, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett highlighted severe disruptions in supply chains and energy markets that have spiked inflation, unsettled financial sectors, and cast uncertainty over global economic growth. 

Backing her assessment with data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Dr. Barnett projected a dip in global merchandise trade while warning that persistent, high costs for fuel, food, and fertilizer continue to heighten the vulnerability of Caribbean economies to external shocks. 
She emphasized that safeguarding the regional economic agenda requires highly strategic and coordinated efforts, noting that COTED's upcoming decisions will directly impact regional business owners, consumers, the self-employed, and youth. 

A central focus for the attending trade ministers was a comprehensive assessment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy which the Secretary-General characterized as the core platform for regional development and resilience. Dr. Barnett noted that the ongoing review reinforces the critical need for a more effective implementation of the 
Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to build a more durable CSME.