New Brazil-Caribbean Agreements Aim to Revitalize Regional Commerce and Stability

Brazil hosted the Brazil-Caribbean Summit in June 2025 in Brasília, aiming to revitalize its relationship with Caribbean nations through a series of cooperation agreements.

Official sources confirm that leaders from CARICOM, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and key regional organizations attended, focusing on food security, climate action, energy, disaster management, and connectivity.

Brazil and the Caribbean have seen their trade drop from $6 billion in 2010 to $4 billion in 2024. Most of this commerce centers on Guyana, the Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The summit addressed this decline by prioritizing projects that reduce trade barriers and improve logistics.

Brazil’s Ministry of Ports and Airports is targeting $35.4 billion in foreign investments by 2026 to modernize ports and airports, with 90% of funding expected from private sources.

The plan includes 60 port and airport auctions, a $1 billion subaquatic tunnel at Santos, and $850 million for Northern Arc waterways.

These upgrades aim to streamline the 97% of Brazilian trade that moves through ports and position Brazil as a key trade gateway for the hemisphere.

New Brazil-Caribbean Agreements Aim to Revitalize Regional Commerce and Stability

The summit also pushed for better regional connectivity. Leaders discussed new air, sea, and land routes to cut transport costs and boost commerce.

These efforts align with Brazil’s infrastructure push, which has already seen a 15% rise in container throughput since 2023.

Security cooperation took center stage, especially regarding Haiti. Brazil committed to training 400 Haitian police officers to help address the country’s security crisis.

The Brazilian Cooperation Agency and the Federal Police will lead this initiative, focusing on building local capacity rather than deploying troops.

Human rights groups have called for careful vetting of trainers, and Brazil has emphasized respect for local authority. The summit further strengthened technical cooperation.

Brazil signed a Basic Agreement with the Association of Caribbean States to support joint projects in climate change, disaster risk reduction, and food security. Both sides see these partnerships as essential for regional resilience.