In a powerful and urgent address to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister of Barbados and current Chair of the Caribbean Community, Mia Amor Mottley, has warned of mounting global crises that threaten the economic and social stability of the region. Speaking in her regional capacity, Mottley painted a sobering picture of the challenges ahead, while also calling for unity, resilience and strategic action to protect Caribbean interests.
“This is not business as usual,” Mottley declared in her message to the people of CARICOM. “Our world is in crisis. I will not sugarcoat it.” She described the current era as “the most difficult period our world has faced since the end of World War II,” underscoring the severity of the threats looming over the Caribbean and the wider international community.
From climate change to economic instability, rising crime, mental health struggles and now the potential onset of a global trade war, the Prime Minister outlined the convergence of crises that could significantly destabilize small island developing states. Of immediate concern is the possibility of a new U.S. tariff, ranging from US $1 million to $1.5 million, on all Chinese-manufactured ships entering American ports, a policy shift that could have dramatic ripple effects throughout the Caribbean.
“We are on the precipice of a global trade war,” Mottley warned, noting that the Caribbean’s dependence on imports makes it especially vulnerable to rising prices. “Just go to the supermarket or visit the mall or the hardware shop… most of the things there are not produced in this region. That, my friends, is a legacy of our colonial dependence.”
Mottley’s address made it clear that the issues currently playing out on the global stage including trade disputes between superpowers and conflicts in the Holy Land, Europe and Africa are not distant problems. “If you buy food, if you buy electronics, if you buy clothes, it will impact you,” she said, challenging the common belief among ordinary Caribbean citizens that geopolitical disputes are too remote to affect their daily lives.
The Prime Minister also highlighted that rising global tariffs could significantly impact the cost of goods, tourism and economic growth. Even if CARICOM countries were to lower their own tariffs, the sheer scale and external nature of global supply chains means that such efforts would have little effect. “Our economies are small and vulnerable,” she reiterated, adding that the region must act with urgency and unity.
Calling for immediate regional and international diplomatic engagement, Mottley urged CARICOM leaders to re-establish strong lines of communication with the United States. She reminded her audience of the historical benefits of U.S.-Caribbean cooperation, particularly under initiatives such as the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), which was designed to help Caribbean economies access the U.S. market.
“There is an obvious truth which has to be confronted by both sides,” she said. “These small and microstates of the Caribbean do not, in any way or in any sector, enjoy a greater degree of financial benefit in the balance of trade than does the United States.”
Mottley appealed directly to President Donald Trump, who is again a central figure in U.S. politics, urging him to consider the longstanding friendship and close familial ties between the peoples of the U.S. and the Caribbean. “We are not your enemy. We are your friends,” she stated emphatically.
Beyond diplomacy, Mottley called for regional self-reliance and collaboration. “We must not fight among each other for political gain,” she said. “United, we stand. Divided, we fall.” She also doubled down on the need to accelerate agricultural and manufacturing development in the region, emphasizing the importance of the 25 by 2025 initiative, a plan to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25 percent by the year 2025.
“This now seems too modest a target,” she admitted, urging Caribbean citizens to choose healthy, local produce over imported processed goods. “Buy local and buy regional,” she repeated. “The products are better, fresher and more competitive in many instances.”
On tourism, a major economic pillar for most Caribbean nations, Mottley warned that economic challenges in key source markets could reduce travel demand. She called for an immediate tourism strategy to protect regional market share and sustain the industry through uncertain times.
Looking outward, Mottley stressed the need for diversification of trade partners. “We must build our ties with Africa, Central and Latin America, and renew those ties with older partners like the United Kingdom, Europe and Canada,” she said. This, she argued, would protect the Caribbean from being overly reliant on any single geopolitical bloc.
Despite the grave tone of her message, Mottley ended on a note of hope and solidarity. “There’s trouble in our Caribbean waters,” she acknowledged. “But the responsibility each and every day for much of what we do and what we grow must be ours.”
Invoking the resilience of the region’s ancestors, she assured her Caribbean brothers and sisters that they could withstand this crisis together. “Our forefathers faced tribulations far worse than we will ever do and yes, they came through it,” she said. “We shall make it. God bless our Caribbean civilization.” Mottley’s message was not just a call to action for CARICOM governments, it was a rallying cry for all Caribbean people to understand the stakes, work together and chart a bold, unified path forward in the face of growing global uncertainty.
