PM Browne Joins World Leaders at COP31 as Caribbean Pushes for Stronger Climate Action

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has joined Caribbean and international leaders in Antalya, Türkiye, for the COP31 World Leaders Summit, where the urgent need for climate financing, stronger resilience and greater international cooperation remains a major concern for vulnerable small island nations.

Browne arrived at the conference venue to participate in the high-level gathering, which brings together heads of state, government leaders and international dignitaries for discussions on the global climate crisis.

He is accompanied by Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Qatar, His Excellency Theon Ali, and Climate Ambassador and Acting Director of the Department of Environment, Her Excellency Ruleta Camacho Thomas.

During his arrival, Browne engaged with several Caribbean leaders attending the conference, including Saint Lucia's Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip E. Davis and St. Kitts and Nevis Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Geoffrey Hanley.

The Prime Minister also met with Türkiye's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Z. Levent Gümrükçü, and former United States Secretary of State and former Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry.

The engagements provided an opportunity for exchanges among regional and international representatives as world leaders gathered to address pressing climate challenges.

The World Leaders Summit, scheduled for November 11 and 12, forms part of COP31 and is intended to strengthen international cooperation and advance commitments to tackling climate change.

For Antigua and Barbuda and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the discussions carry particular significance as countries continue to confront the economic and environmental consequences of rising temperatures, increasingly severe weather events and other climate-related threats.

Access to affordable and adequate climate financing remains a central concern for Caribbean governments, which have repeatedly called for greater international support to strengthen infrastructure, protect vulnerable communities and improve their ability to withstand climate-related disasters.

The summit also provides an opportunity for regional leaders to reinforce calls for practical measures that translate international climate commitments into tangible benefits for countries facing disproportionate risks.

Browne's participation reflects Antigua and Barbuda's continued efforts to advocate for stronger international partnerships and greater recognition of the vulnerabilities confronting small island nations.

As discussions continue in Antalya, attention will be focused on whether the international gathering can help advance meaningful action on climate financing, resilience and the broader global response to climate change.