CARICOM celebrates women in diplomacy, hosts young female honorary diplomats

The Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community, Dr Carla Barnett, has reaffirmed the importance of empowering young women to pursue careers in diplomacy as she hosted participants of the “Diplomat for a Day” initiative ahead of the International Day for Women in Diplomacy.

Barnett welcomed the young female honorary diplomats to the CARICOM Secretariat on Tuesday, June 23, during a courtesy visit organised as part of activities marking the International Day for Women in Diplomacy, commemorated annually on June 24.

The initiative, organised in Guyana by The Imperial House, gives young Guyanese women the opportunity to shadow heads of diplomatic missions and gain first-hand experience of diplomatic service.

This year’s programme featured 12 participants aged between 17 and 30, drawn from secondary schools across Guyana, the University of Guyana and public sector agencies.

The initiative received support from the High Commission of Belize, the High Commission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Embassies of Suriname and Mexico, as well as the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.

During the visit, the participants met with the CARICOM Secretary-General and senior officials, who shared insights into their professional journeys and discussed the role of women in diplomacy.

The young women also interacted with CARICOM’s Programme Manager for Youth Development, Michele Small-Bartley, who highlighted opportunities available to young people, including the CARICOM Young Professionals Programme.

They were further introduced to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy during a session facilitated by the Director of the CARICOM Single Market, Gladys Young, before participating in an educational session and guided tour of the Secretariat.

The delegation was accompanied by the High Commissioner of Belize to Guyana, Her Excellency Gale Miller-Garnett, and the Executive Director of The Imperial House, Wasim Khan.

The International Day for Women in Diplomacy was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022 through a resolution co-sponsored by Guyana to promote the full and equal participation of women in diplomacy and international relations.

Trade Disruptions, Inflation Threaten Caribbean Growth — Barnett

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has raised fresh concerns over worsening global economic headwinds, warning that disruptions in international trade, energy markets and supply chains are deepening inflationary pressures and threatening food security across the region.

Speaking at the opening of the 62nd Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) held at CARICOM Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana, the Secretary-General of CARICOM, Dr. Carla Barnett, said member states must brace for continued volatility in the global economy while strengthening internal resilience mechanisms.

Dr. Barnett noted that overlapping global crises were reshaping geopolitical and economic relations, with developing regions such as the Caribbean bearing a disproportionate burden of rising costs.

She said disruptions in global energy and supply chains had already triggered instability in financial markets, pushing inflation higher and weakening the medium-term global economic outlook.

Citing projections from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the CARICOM chief warned of a possible decline in global merchandise trade volumes this year, adding that small island and developing economies face sharper exposure to rising fuel, food and fertilizer prices.

According to her, these pressures were not only worsening inflation but also undermining food security and increasing external vulnerabilities across CARICOM member states.

“Our resilience is being tested, and safeguarding our trade and economic development agenda requires strategic, coordinated and focused efforts,” Dr. Barnett said, stressing that decisions taken at the COTED meeting would have far-reaching consequences for citizens, businesses, young people and the self-employed across the Community.

The high-level meeting, which brings together trade and economic ministers from across the Caribbean, is expected to deliberate on key issues affecting the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), external trade negotiations, and the region’s broader development agenda.

Dr. Barnett said a preliminary assessment of the CSME—CARICOM’s central integration framework—shows the need for stronger implementation of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas to ensure greater resilience in the face of global disruptions.

She emphasised that Article 164 of the Treaty, which provides special provisions for temporary tariff protections and market access to support local industries in Less Developed Countries, remains critical to the survival and competitiveness of regional manufacturing sectors.

Commending the CARICOM Development Fund, she noted ongoing support programmes aimed at strengthening industries benefiting from Article 164 protections, describing them as essential to sustaining production and improving regional competitiveness.

The Secretary-General also highlighted progress on the development of a CARICOM Digital Trade Policy, describing it as a strategic shift to position the region within an increasingly digital and interconnected global economy.

On external relations, Dr. Barnett disclosed that CARICOM is nearing completion of negotiations to expand its Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement with Colombia, urging ministers at the COTED meeting to provide strategic guidance to finalise the deal.

She also referenced the implications of the United States’ “America First” trade policy, noting that CARICOM technical teams and an Expert Working Group had been engaging with the Office of the United States Trade Representative to prepare for future discussions on the bloc’s trading relationship with Washington.

According to her, the multilateral trading system had been under strain even before current global tensions, citing a fractured dispute settlement mechanism, stalled rule-making processes, and weak compliance monitoring systems within the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Nigeria Grants Rwandans 30-Day Visa-Free Entry to Boost African Integration, Trade

The Nigerian Government has commenced a 30-day visa-free entry policy for Rwandan nationals, in a move aimed at strengthening continental integration, boosting trade, and enhancing mobility under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

The policy, which takes immediate effect across all entry points, follows an announcement by President Bola Tinubu at the Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali, Rwanda, where he reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to easing movement across African borders.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) confirmed that operational arrangements had been concluded for the full implementation of the directive at airports, land borders and seaports nationwide.

Under the new arrangement, Rwandan citizens will be allowed to enter Nigeria without a visa for up to 30 days for legitimate purposes, including tourism, business engagements and official visits.

The Service, however, clarified that visitors wishing to stay beyond the approved period must obtain the appropriate visa through Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad or apply via the Nigeria e-Visa platform.

“Under this bilateral arrangement, Rwandan nationals may enter Nigeria without a visa for a period not exceeding thirty (30) days for lawful purposes, including tourism, business, and official engagements,” the statement read.

The NIS said the policy reflects the strengthening diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Rwanda, while also aligning with broader African efforts to promote free movement of persons, trade facilitation and economic cooperation across the continent.

It added that the initiative underscores Nigeria’s commitment to regional integration under the AfCFTA agreement, which seeks to create a single African market for goods and services.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service notes that this initiative reflects the strong diplomatic and bilateral relations between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Rwanda, while promoting intra-African mobility, tourism, and economic cooperation in line with continental aspirations,” the agency said.

The Service reaffirmed its readiness to ensure safe, orderly and lawful migration in line with international standards and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The visa waiver comes amid growing continental momentum toward easing intra-African travel barriers, as several countries push policies aimed at improving economic linkages, tourism flows and regional investment opportunities.