Leaders from the OECS and Bahamas Hold Discussions With US Secretary of State Marco Rubio

On Tuesday May 5^th, 2027, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the heads of government from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Bahamas in the first of its kind meeting in Washington, DC.

The meeting focused on enhanced regional cooperation to combat drug and firearms trafficking and illegal migration. Rubio also encouraged Caribbean partners to strengthen intelligence-sharing, security cooperation, and border security through initiatives like the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. 

In a swipe at the OECS leaders for their ongoing collaboration with China, Secretary Rubio urged them “to make responsible, transparent decisions when selecting vendors and contractors for critical infrastructure projects, ensuring they are not vulnerable to privacy and security risks and exploitation by malign actors like the Chinese Communist Party.”

With the approach of the hurricane season, Secretary Rubio announced the reactivation of programs to strengthen early warning systems and provide rapid, life-saving assistance for Caribbean countries in the event of this occurence. 

Participants in the meeting included Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre of Saint Lucia, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada, and Prime Minister Terrance Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis.