PM Browne Reaffirms ‘Zone of Peace’ Stance During Visit by US Admiral Holsey

United States Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey, Commander of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), paid an official visit to Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday for a series of high-level discussions with government and military officials.

Admiral Holsey met with Prime Minister Gaston Browne and senior Cabinet members during a closed-door session at the Office of the Prime Minister. While no details were released regarding the agenda, the meeting was described by local officials as a “courtesy call.”

Ahead of the talks, Prime Minister Browne emphasized that Antigua and Barbuda remains firmly committed to maintaining the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. “That is non-negotiable,” Browne stated. He added that the twin-island nation has “no appetite for geopolitical spats,” noting that “Antigua and Barbuda is too small to be having enemies.”

The U.S. Admiral also held meetings with Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Telbert Benjamin and senior officers of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF). Those discussions centered on preparations for the 2026 Tradewinds military exercise, which Antigua and Barbuda will host next June, marking the sixth time the country has served as host.

Brigadier Benjamin explained that the upcoming Tradewinds exercise will take on added importance as it will form part of national security preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled to be held in Antigua and Barbuda in the second half of 2026.

“We plan to involve all branches of our security apparatus — the ABDF, Coast Guard, Air Wing, ONDCP, and the Police Force — in the Tradewinds exercise,” Brigadier Benjamin said. He described the U.S. as a “key partner” in the region’s security architecture and stressed that Admiral Holsey’s visit was both routine and strategic.

“There’s nothing unusual about this engagement,” Benjamin added. “We fall under the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, and as hosts of next year’s Tradewinds exercise, it’s only natural that Admiral Holsey would visit to assess infrastructure and coordination plans. We’ve been in regular contact with him and his team.”

The U.S. Southern Command oversees U.S. military operations and partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on regional stability, security cooperation, and disaster response. Admiral Holsey’s stop in Antigua formed part of a broader Caribbean engagement tour, which includes similar visits to other regional allies.