Pacific Islands Forum and CARICOM Formalise Partnership to Advance Shared SIDS Priorities

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have formalised a new partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation between the Pacific and Caribbean regions.

According to a joint press release issued by the two organisations, the partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 23, 2026, in New York on the margins of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The agreement was signed by PIF Secretary-General Baron Divavesi Waqa and CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett.

The release said the MoU establishes a framework for increased cooperation between the regions while providing a platform for advancing shared priorities of Small Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS).

Waqa welcomed the agreement as a step toward a closer and more structured relationship between the Pacific and Caribbean.

He said greater coordination would allow both regions to advocate jointly on issues affecting their populations and future, while advancing common SIDS priorities and keeping them prominent in international decision-making.

Barnett described the agreement as an important development in South-South cooperation between CARICOM and the Pacific Islands Forum.

She pointed to the common vulnerabilities faced by the two regions, including the impacts of climate change and economic pressures affecting their nations.

According to the CARICOM Secretary-General said formalising the relationship would strengthen joint advocacy internationally, increase the visibility of shared priorities and create practical avenues for cooperation that could benefit people in both regions.

Under the MoU, the two organisations will have a framework for greater collective advocacy, knowledge and expertise sharing, and practical cooperation on areas of common interest.

The agreement is also intended to reinforce the collective voice and influence of SIDS in international processes, according to the joint release.