CARICOM Seeks More Investment, Partnerships to Tackle NCDs, Mental Health

Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Dr. Carla Barnett, has said that ending the epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and addressing mental health challenges will require fresh investment, innovative financing, stronger partnerships and bold policy action.

Dr. Barnett made this known on Thursday while addressing a High-Level Breakfast on NCDs and Mental Health, held on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

She recalled that since the landmark 2007 Port-of-Spain Declaration, CARICOM has championed a multi-sectoral response to NCDs, introducing initiatives such as Caribbean Wellness Day and the elimination of trans fats.

However, she lamented that despite some progress, most Member States are off track to meet the 2025 global target of reducing premature NCD mortality by 25 per cent, with only Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, and Grenada showing encouraging results.

The Secretary-General underscored the need for greater financial commitment and collaboration at both regional and global levels.

According to her, the reality of limited fiscal resources in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has slowed progress, making it necessary to explore innovative financing mechanisms, strengthen public-private partnerships and enhance monitoring frameworks.

Dr. Barnett noted that the worsening impacts of climate change are also aggravating health challenges in the Region, while rising cases of mental health conditions present an additional burden.

Vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities and the elderly, she said, remain at particular risk.

“While daunting, ending the epidemic of NCDs in CARICOM is not an insurmountable task. The lessons learnt over the past 18 years can strategically position the Caribbean Community in the next decade,” she said, stressing the need for renewed commitment from governments, development partners and civil society.

She further called for stronger social safety nets, legislative action, and investment in assistive living technologies for the ageing population.

Dr. Barnett commended the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Pan-American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) for their role in advancing health initiatives, while also acknowledging the political will demonstrated by CARICOM Heads of Government.

Reaffirming CARICOM’s resolve, Dr. Barnett maintained that sustainable progress against NCDs and mental health challenges would only be achieved through collective commitment, increased funding and equitable policy responses that put people at the centre.

CARICOM Pushes Climate, Development Agenda at UNGA 80

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has confirmed its participation in the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), billed to hold in New York from September 20 to 29, 2025.

The regional bloc will be represented by Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett, and the Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Ms. Elizabeth Solomon, alongside Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers.

According to a statement from the CARICOM Secretariat, the delegation will use the high-level meetings, bilateral engagements, side events and the General Debate to advance the region’s positions on climate action, sustainable development, peacebuilding and global health.

Heads of Government from the region are expected to participate in the General Debate from September 23 to 27, with Suriname delivering the opening statement on behalf of the Community.

On September 22, CARICOM will join the UNGA’s High-Level Meeting commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, as well as a High-Level Event on the Multilateral Support System hosted by Kenyan President, William Ruto.

Dr. Barnett is also billed to play a central role in several other engagements, including the signing of an MoU between UNCTAD and CARICOM, a High-Level Meeting on Haiti, and the First Biennial Summit for a Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Global Economy.

Other engagements will centre on climate mobility, non-communicable diseases and mental health.

CARICOM’s leadership on the Haitian crisis will again be spotlighted in a Roundtable Discussion titled “Making the Case for Haiti” on September 22, where ASG Solomon is expected to lead the Community’s interventions.

Beyond UNGA events, Solomon will represent CARICOM at the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards, while Foreign Ministers will participate in the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting, hold talks with Nordic counterparts, and join the EU-CELAC Foreign Ministers Meeting.

They will also convene the 24th Special Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) on September 22 to deliberate on key foreign policy issues and upcoming international engagements.

Speaking ahead of the session, Solomon described COFCOR as “a very important opportunity” for the bloc to align its positions before the high-level week begins.

The UNGA 80, themed “Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development and Human Rights,” comes at a time the global community is seeking to reinforce solidarity and renew its commitment to multilateralism.

Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Quit ICC, Slam Court as Neo-Colonial Tool

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have jointly announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of being an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression.”

In a statement on Tuesday, the three military-led governments said they would no longer recognise the authority of the UN-backed court in The Hague, citing its alleged failure to prosecute “proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression.”

“The ICC has proven itself incapable of handling such cases,” the leaders declared, insisting they would instead establish “indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice.”

The move adds to rising tensions between the Sahel states and Western powers.

All three countries, which are ruled by juntas after successive coups between 2020 and 2023, form the Confederation of Sahel States and have increasingly tilted toward Russia for political and military support.

The ICC, created in 2002 to prosecute the world’s most serious crimes, has faced frequent accusations of anti-African bias.

Out of 33 cases opened since inception, all but one have involved African nations.

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has previously criticised the court for what he described as its “selective justice.”

Under ICC rules, withdrawals take effect one year after formal notification to the United Nations. Until then, the court technically retains jurisdiction.

The latest announcement follows another coordinated decision by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger earlier this year to pull out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), rejecting demands to restore democratic governance.

Observers note that the withdrawal also shields the three juntas from potential ICC scrutiny, as their forces have been accused of atrocities against civilians in the fight against jihadist insurgents linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Meanwhile, Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin was indicted by the ICC in 2023 for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, has consolidated ties with the Sahel trio, deepening their isolation from France and other Western partners.

At press time, the ICC has yet to issue an official response to the Sahel states’ withdrawal.