CARICOM And Germany Hold First Strategic Dialogue On Development Cooperation
By CARICOM Photos: CARICOM (CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Germany convened the First CARICOM-BMZ Strategic Dialogue on Development Cooperation in Georgetown, Guyana on 15 July to take stock of existing cooperation and explore strategic avenues for a more robust and resilient partnership in the years ahead. The hybrid Dialogue brought together representatives of CARICOM Member States, the CARICOM Secretariat, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the German Federal Foreign Office and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). It was the first engagement under the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation between CARICOM and Germany, which provides for regular strategic dialogue. The Dialogue was co-chaired by Ambassador Miriam Mac Intosh, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Cooperation of Suriname, on behalf of CARICOM, and Mr. Christoph Rauh, Deputy Director-General for Bilateral Cooperation (Africa, Asia, Latin America) at BMZ, on behalf of Germany. Opening the discussions, Ambassador Mac Intosh expressed CARICOM’s appreciation to Germany, and in particular BMZ, for its longstanding partnership and support for the Region’s sustainable development aspirations. She noted that the Dialogue provided an opportunity to enhance the operational effectiveness, coordination, and tangible impact of their joint cooperation arrangements. She highlighted Germany’s targeted support through technical cooperation initiatives aligned with CARICOM’s priorities, including the sustainable blue economy, biodiversity conservation, climate-resilient energy systems, circular economy approaches, sustainable waste management, sargassum utilization, and green and blue skills development. “This Dialogue provides a valuable opportunity to take stock of our existing cooperation, deepen mutual understanding of our respective priorities, and explore strategic avenues for a more robust and resilient partnership in the years ahead,” Ambassador Mac Intosh said. “In doing so, we reaffirm our shared commitment to development cooperation that is responsive to regional priorities, supports national ownership and firmly adheres to the principle of leaving no one behind.” Mr. Christoph Rauh affirmed Germany’s commitment to partnering with CARICOM on issues of mutual interest. “Germany values its longstanding partnership with CARICOM and remains committed to working together to advance practical, impactful cooperation that responds to shared values as well as the needs and priorities of the Caribbean region,” Mr. Rauh said, emphasizing Germany’s interest in deepening collaboration on climate resilience, biodiversity, sustainable energy and inclusive development. Mr. Rauh further noted that since 2003, Germany has delivered more than €150 million in cooperation initiatives with CARICOM to strengthen climate resilience and advance sustainable development. A key focus of the Strategic Dialogue was the review of a portfolio of six (6) regional technical cooperation projects that are currently financed by BMZ and being implemented by GIZ through collaboration with CARICOM Secretariat and member states. Collectively valued at approximately €32 million, these active initiatives address critical regional development priorities, including biodiversity conservation, a climate-compatible circular economy, blue economy development, green and blue skills training, sustainable energy, and the productive utilization of organic waste and sargassum. During the session, CARICOM and Germany assessed progress on existing cooperation, shared lessons learned and identified opportunities to maximize development impact through stronger donor coordination, knowledge-sharing, and integrated approaches to project planning and implementation. They also discussed mutual interest in future collaboration, while underscoring the need to align cooperation with national and regional priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Future collaboration could focus on climate resilience, the renewable energy transition, biodiversity protection, disaster risk reduction, circular economy development, sustainable livelihoods, and access to climate and development finance The Dialogue reaffirmed the commitment of CARICOM and Germany to sustainable, inclusive and resilient development across the Community, and to maintaining regular engagement under the CARICOM-BMZ Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation.
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By CARICOM
Photos: CARICOM
(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Germany convened the First CARICOM-BMZ Strategic Dialogue on Development Cooperation in Georgetown, Guyana on 15 July to take stock of existing cooperation and explore strategic avenues for a more robust and resilient partnership in the years ahead.
The hybrid Dialogue brought together representatives of CARICOM Member States, the CARICOM Secretariat, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the German Federal Foreign Office and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). It was the first engagement under the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation between CARICOM and Germany, which provides for regular strategic dialogue.
The Dialogue was co-chaired by Ambassador Miriam Mac Intosh, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and Cooperation of Suriname, on behalf of CARICOM, and Mr. Christoph Rauh, Deputy Director-General for Bilateral Cooperation (Africa, Asia, Latin America) at BMZ, on behalf of Germany.
Opening the discussions, Ambassador Mac Intosh expressed CARICOM’s appreciation to Germany, and in particular BMZ, for its longstanding partnership and support for the Region’s sustainable development aspirations. She noted that the Dialogue provided an opportunity to enhance the operational effectiveness, coordination, and tangible impact of their joint cooperation arrangements.
She highlighted Germany’s targeted support through technical cooperation initiatives aligned with CARICOM’s priorities, including the sustainable blue economy, biodiversity conservation, climate-resilient energy systems, circular economy approaches, sustainable waste management, sargassum utilization, and green and blue skills development.
“This Dialogue provides a valuable opportunity to take stock of our existing cooperation, deepen mutual understanding of our respective priorities, and explore strategic avenues for a more robust and resilient partnership in the years ahead,” Ambassador Mac Intosh said.
“In doing so, we reaffirm our shared commitment to development cooperation that is responsive to regional priorities, supports national ownership and firmly adheres to the principle of leaving no one behind.”
Mr. Christoph Rauh affirmed Germany’s commitment to partnering with CARICOM on issues of mutual interest.
“Germany values its longstanding partnership with CARICOM and remains committed to working together to advance practical, impactful cooperation that responds to shared values as well as the needs and priorities of the Caribbean region,” Mr. Rauh said, emphasizing Germany’s interest in deepening collaboration on climate resilience, biodiversity, sustainable energy and inclusive development.
Mr. Rauh further noted that since 2003, Germany has delivered more than €150 million in cooperation initiatives with CARICOM to strengthen climate resilience and advance sustainable development.
A key focus of the Strategic Dialogue was the review of a portfolio of six (6) regional technical cooperation projects that are currently financed by BMZ and being implemented by GIZ through collaboration with CARICOM Secretariat and member states. Collectively valued at approximately €32 million, these active initiatives address critical regional development priorities, including biodiversity conservation, a climate-compatible circular economy, blue economy development, green and blue skills training, sustainable energy, and the productive utilization of organic waste and sargassum.
During the session, CARICOM and Germany assessed progress on existing cooperation, shared lessons learned and identified opportunities to maximize development impact through stronger donor coordination, knowledge-sharing, and integrated approaches to project planning and implementation.
They also discussed mutual interest in future collaboration, while underscoring the need to align cooperation with national and regional priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Future collaboration could focus on climate resilience, the renewable energy transition, biodiversity protection, disaster risk reduction, circular economy development, sustainable livelihoods, and access to climate and development finance
The Dialogue reaffirmed the commitment of CARICOM and Germany to sustainable, inclusive and resilient development across the Community, and to maintaining regular engagement under the CARICOM-BMZ Memorandum of Understanding on Technical Cooperation.
