Let me begin by thanking Dominica, the current Chair of CARICOM.  

I am very proud of the strong partnership we have nurtured with Caricom over the last ten years.  
I was honoured to be the first UN Secretary-General to attend a CARICOM Summit – first in Jamaica in 2010 and again last year in Barbados.

We are bolstering our cooperation across a wide range of activities.  

Of course, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement represent the heart of the work of the United Nations and our partnership.  

I thank you for all your efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda.  I encourage the countries of the Caribbean to consider presenting voluntary national reviews at next year’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

I also encourage you to incorporate the Addis Ababa Action Agenda into national sustainable development strategies.

Climate action is central to the success of the 2030 Agenda and I thank CARICOM for your continued leadership.  

You may be among the smallest contributors to climate change.  But you are among the strongest leaders in the responding to the challenge.  
You have my full support as you continue to support your members to ensure that all ratify the Paris Agreement by the end of this year.

I would also like to mention two vital health matters – Zika and cholera in Haiti.

I am concerned about the reports of Zika and associated disorders reported by countries in the CARICOM region.  The United Nations is fully committed to supporting countries in addressing the Zika outbreak and its related complications.

It is also important to have your support for my new approach to cholera in Haiti. This includes an intense effort to treat and prevent the disease, as well as a concerted effort to deliver material assistance to those most directly affected. 

Both tracks will require strong political and financial support from Member States and others.  I will  present ideas to the General Assembly around the end of October. 

I am strongly committed to upholding our moral responsibility to the people of Haiti. I can only do this with your full backing.

I look forward to hearing your views on these issues – and how we can help best support your efforts across the board, including on the crucial issue of citizen security, counter-terror and the world drug problem.

Once again, thank you for your leadership and our partnership.