Foreign Minister Greene Urges EU–CELAC Partnership to Be “Transformative and Just”

Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Barbuda Affairs, E.P. Chet Greene, has called for a new era of cooperation between the European Union (EU) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), one built on justice, sustainability, and shared prosperity.

Speaking at the Caribbean–EU Meeting on the sidelines of the 4th CELAC–EU Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, Minister Greene emphasized the historic and values-based relationship between the Caribbean and the EU.

He described it as “a partnership founded on shared principles and mutual benefits for our peoples,” but urged that it now evolve to meet modern challenges.

“Antigua and Barbuda stands at this crossroads of continents not just to participate, but to passionately advocate for a partnership that is both transformative and just,” Greene declared.

He reiterated Antigua and Barbuda’s firm commitment to multilateralism, describing it as essential for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) navigating an increasingly uncertain world. Greene commended the EU’s global climate leadership and called for greater investment in renewable energy, concessional financing, and support for climate-resilient infrastructure across the Caribbean.

Highlighting the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, the minister noted that it offers significant opportunities for the region in areas such as climate resilience and digital inclusion. He said the initiative could help modernize water systems, lower energy costs, and prepare Caribbean youth to compete in the global digital economy.

Greene also joined regional counterparts in urging the EU to help maintain the Caribbean as a “Zone of Peace,” while stressing the urgent need for coordinated action to address the ongoing crisis in Haiti. He further advocated for the EU’s continued cooperation regarding the Caribbean’s Investment Migration programmes, which he described as “vital to many of our economies.”

Concluding his remarks, Minister Greene called for a deepened EU–Caribbean partnership grounded in cooperation, sustainability, and shared prosperity — one that delivers tangible benefits for all.