Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne met with Open Society Foundations Chairman Alex Soros and President Binaifer Nowrojee in New York to discuss potential areas of cooperation and the country’s development priorities.
The meeting took place on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where Browne has been leading Antigua and Barbuda’s delegation and holding discussions on climate resilience, renewable energy, investment and other issues affecting small states.
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According to an account of the meeting, discussions with Soros and Nowrojee focused on renewable energy, electric mobility and sustainable transportation, as well as broader development priorities for Antigua and Barbuda.
Browne also raised opportunities for greater engagement between the Caribbean and Africa, including trade, regional integration, reparatory justice and economic inequality. The discussions reflect the government’s broader effort to build international partnerships around development financing, climate resilience and economic opportunities.
The Open Society Foundations expressed a willingness to support priorities Browne plans to pursue during his two-year term as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office. Those priorities include strengthening multilateral cooperation, expanding economic opportunities for vulnerable countries, and advancing women’s rights and youth empowerment.
However, no funding agreement or specific development project was announced following the meeting. The discussions therefore represent potential areas of future cooperation rather than a confirmed financial commitment or investment by the foundation.
Browne also invited Soros to attend the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda, where leaders from across the Commonwealth will gather from November 1–4. Nowrojee is expected to visit the country for the meeting and deliver the keynote address at the Women’s Forum.
The prime minister has said Antigua and Barbuda’s international engagement is intended to translate diplomacy into practical benefits for citizens, particularly in areas such as climate vulnerability, investment, energy, connectivity, health and development financing. The meeting with Soros forms part of those wider efforts to develop partnerships around the country’s economic and social priorities.
