Martinique to join Caricom as associate member after nod from France

It also paves the way for the other territorial collectivities of the Antilles-Guyana region to join as associate members,” the statement added.The European country said it has fully rallied behind Martinique to support “this complex legal process, which involves the interplay between domestic law, European Union law and Caricom’s own rules.“This development now opens up concrete prospects: Martinique, along with other territories that might join Caricom as associate members, will be able to participate in the work of the organisation and its agencies, gain access to more comprehensive information on regional developments, and strengthen their capacity to take action within their immediate geographical environment.”The statement said that this involvement will thus complement the existing engagement of French communities in the Americas within regional Caribbean organisations, notably the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).“This development forms part of France’s ambitious policy aimed at strengthening the regional integration of its overseas territories, with a view to promoting their economic development, resilience and influence,” it said.In February this year, the French Senate gave the green light to Martinique to seek associate membership with Caricom.“The Senate’s vote on January 28, 2026 opens a new phase for Martinique within Caricom. The challenge now is to transform this institutional framework into tangible projects and useful cooperation for the territory and its stakeholders.“Membership is not a symbolic achievement, but the starting point for a regional participation that will be translated into action, in the service of Martinique’s development and integration into the Caribbean,” said the French-based Richès Karayib, a multimodal and multilingual media platform dedicated to showcasing the culture, heritage and tourism of the Caribbean.