Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, delivered powerful and forward-looking remarks on Friday at the Brazil-Caribbean Summit, underscoring the critical importance of renewed regional cooperation and solidarity in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.
In a speech delivered alongside, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and fellow CARICOM leaders, Prime Minister Browne commended Brazil’s proactive re-engagement with the Caribbean under President Lula’s leadership, describing the Summit as a “vital opportunity to reshape, reimagine and strengthen the Brazil-Caribbean partnership.”
Speaking against the backdrop of global instability and mounting climate threats, Prime Minister Browne emphasized the urgent need for collective action to advance sustainable development, combat poverty and hunger, and build climate resilience. He pointed to shared vulnerabilities and intertwined futures as the foundation for deeper regional integration.
“In today’s complex and rapidly changing global environment, Latin America and the Caribbean must stand together — we have no choice if we want to be resilient,” Prime Minister Browne stated. “Our futures are deeply intertwined.”
The Prime Minister also highlighted Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to sustainable food systems, climate-resilient agriculture, and enhanced South-South cooperation. He applauded Brazil’s leadership in launching the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, of which Antigua and Barbuda is a proud member.
Looking ahead to COP30, which Brazil will host later this year, Prime Minister Browne called for tangible progress on climate financing and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund to support countries most vulnerable to climate change, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
He urged Brazil to champion the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) and lead efforts toward meaningful reform of international financial institutions to ensure fair access to development financing for vulnerable nations.
“Climate change is not just a challenge for us – it is an existential threat,” he said. “With Brazil’s leadership, I believe we can advance a fairer, more responsive global financial architecture that leaves no vulnerable nation behind.”
The Prime Minister praised Brazil’s energy transition leadership and its potential to support a just and inclusive shift toward renewable energy across the region.
In closing, Prime Minister Browne reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to working closely with Brazil and Caribbean partners to shape a future defined by resilience, equity, and shared prosperity.
“This spirit of partnership is not just about closer cooperation,” he noted, “but about shaping policies that build resilience and prosperity across our region.”
