Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called for the Caribbean to remain a zone of peace, warning that the region must not become a theatre for confrontation or the unilateral and unjustified use of force.
Mottley made the call on September 24, 2026, while addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. She said Caribbean political leaders have an important role to play in ensuring that the region remains peaceful and progressive.
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Turning to Haiti, Mottley said the country’s continuing security crisis is delaying political renewal and economic recovery following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. She said preparations for a return to constitutional government were moving forward despite significant difficulties, but argued that those efforts could not succeed without improved security, particularly in areas containing more than half of Haiti’s electorate.
Mottley said Barbados supports the full deployment and renewal of the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), a multinational security mission authorised by the UN Security Council to combat armed gangs in Haiti. She also acknowledged the work of the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group, chaired by former St Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony and including former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding and former Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie, in helping to build consensus and maintain engagement with international partners.
The Barbadian leader also addressed Venezuela, saying stability there is in the interests of Guyana, Venezuela and the wider Caribbean. She linked the issue to her broader call for the region to preserve its status as a zone of peace.
Mottley also raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Cuba and reiterated Barbados’ opposition to unilateral coercive measures against the island. She said restrictions affecting trade, finance and access to fuel were contributing to hardship for Cuban citizens.
On the issue of reparatory justice, Mottley said the United Nations had adopted a resolution on March 25 that acknowledged the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement as the gravest crime against humanity. She said Caribbean leaders had approved a revised CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice in July and called for greater international engagement on the issue.
Mottley also called for reform of the international system, including the UN Security Council, arguing that questions of power, representation and accountability must be addressed. The UN General Assembly’s 81st session is being held under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
Reaffirming Barbados’ position, Mottley told world leaders that “the Caribbean must remain a Zone of Peace,” urging the region and the wider international community to protect the Caribbean from becoming an arena for confrontation.
