Prime Minister Gaston Browne strongly defended Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme during his feature address at the Caribbean–EU Parliamentary Assembly, describing it as a lawful and transparent development tool critical to regional stability.

Antigua and Barbuda is hosting a landmark international event this week as regional and European lawmakers gather for the First Sitting of the Caribbean–European Union Parliamentary Assembly at the Convention Centre of the American University of Antigua (AUA) from February 16–18.

The high-level Assembly brings together representatives from the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union (EU) to deepen cooperation under the Samoa Agreement, with discussions centred on climate resilience, renewable energy, trade, security and the situation in Haiti.

“For several Caribbean small island states, these are lawful, transparent development tools operating within clear legal frameworks and strong oversight,” Browne told the Assembly.

He noted that the programme has financed:
•⁠ ⁠Hurricane recovery efforts
•⁠ ⁠Climate-resilient infrastructure
•⁠ ⁠Healthcare expansion
•⁠ ⁠Education development
•⁠ ⁠Fiscal stabilization

Browne revealed that Caribbean nations have spent the past 18 months strengthening their programmes in consultation with the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

He pushed back against perceptions that CBI poses heightened risk, arguing that the due diligence, biometric requirements, and financial transparency standards applied are often more stringent than those required for non-immigrant visas issued elsewhere.

“The perceived risk associated with our citizens accessing the European Union is exaggerated,” Browne said.

While acknowledging that citizenship policy remains a sovereign matter, he expressed hope for continued evidence-based dialogue with EU officials rather than unilateral restrictions on Caribbean access.

The issue comes amid broader EU discussions about visa access and investment migration programmes in the region.