Abinader urges climate pact at Brazil-Caribbean Summit

Brasilia, Brazil.- At the Brazil-Caribbean Summit held this Friday, President Luis Abinader called for a comprehensive hemispheric climate pact, urging nations to unite against what he described as the region’s most urgent threat—climate change. He emphasized the impact of extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, and the spread of sargassum in the Greater Caribbean, urging historically high-emission countries to take the lead in financing sustainable solutions.

Abinader proposed a regional energy transition leveraging Latin America’s natural resources—sun, wind, and water—and called for improved food security through regional cooperation. He cited the Dominican Republic’s Food Sovereignty Plan and advocated for increased intra-Caribbean trade in agricultural products.

The president also warned about the unchecked growth of sargassum, which harms marine ecosystems and coastal communities. He recommended a regional monitoring and response system and pointed to Brazil’s role in supporting this effort with its technological expertise.

Addressing regional connectivity, Abinader highlighted the need for better maritime and air routes to link Caribbean nations and promote multi-destination tourism. He also reaffirmed his strong support for the transformation of the international security mission in Haiti into a UN-led hybrid operation, noting rare political consensus in the Dominican Republic, including backing from all living former presidents.

Closing his address, Abinader invited summit participants to the Tenth Summit of the Americas, to be held in December in Punta Cana, emphasizing the importance of a shared regional agenda with strong private sector involvement.