Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith is chairing the 56th meeting of the CARICOM Council of Ministers, which began this morning (December 17) in Kingston.

The meeting brings together ministers and representatives of member Caribbean Community states to advance preparations for the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, scheduled for 2026 in St. Kitts and Nevis. The meeting is also considering matters related to the community’s work programme and operations.

Johnson Smith is joined at the ministry’s headquarters in Kingston by senior technical officials, including Jamaica’s Ambassador to CARICOM, Esmond Reid, and Ambassador Symone Betton Nayo, Under-Secretary for Bilateral, Regional and Hemispheric Affairs.

Representatives from other CARICOM states are participating virtually, as well as in Guyana.

The Community Council is CARICOM’s second-highest decision-making body and has primary responsibility for strategic planning and coordination in the areas of economic integration, functional cooperation and external relations.