Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill will represent Jamaica at the 60th Meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), scheduled for June 10–11, in Georgetown, Guyana.

Hill will attend on behalf of Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade. He will join his regional counterparts at COTED—under the chairmanship of Kerrie Symmonds, the minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade for Barbados—to deliberate on vital trade and economic development matters central to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the broader regional agenda.

The two-day meeting will consider a broad slate of regional trade and economic matters, including the advancement of the CSME—particularly the free movement of people and goods—along with revisions to the Common External Tariff (CET), rules of origin, regional industrial policy, trade in goods, and CARICOM’s evolving external trade strategy.

This high-level engagement follows preparatory sessions held virtually on May 7–8, chaired by Barbados’ Director of Foreign Trade Paula Byer and supported by Ambassador Wayne McCook, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for the CSME and Trade. CARICOM has outlined sessions making up a demanding and strategic agenda aimed at accelerating economic integration and advancing timely decisions that benefit the region.

Minister Hill’s participation underscores Jamaica’s unwavering commitment to strengthening regional trade integration, improving the competitiveness of Jamaican producers, and aligning with the country’s wider trade and foreign policy priorities.

Post-COTED business mission

Following COTED, Minister Hill will lead an export and investment business mission in Guyana from June 12–13, 2025, joined by a delegation of 23 Jamaican companies and 35 individuals. The business delegation, representing a mix of small, medium, and large enterprises, will be accompanied by key government officials.

As part of the ministry’s ongoing strategy to drive export-focused engagements, Hill continues to champion Jamaican companies expanding into regional markets to reduce the trade imbalance and accelerate economic growth.