France says it will continue working with its overseas territories to support regional integration efforts, following Paris’ approval of Martinique’s accession to the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
In a statement issued by the French Embassy in Guyana, the approval of the CARICOM Agreement on Privileges and Immunities was described as “a decisive step towards the regional integration of overseas territories.”
The statement said France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot and Minister for Overseas Territories Naïma Moutchou welcomed the National Assembly’s approval of the agreement on Thursday. It noted that the Senate had already voted in favour of the measure in January, allowing Parliament to complete final approval within a relatively short timeframe.
According to the statement, the decision marks “a major step forward in strengthening relations between France and CARICOM, as well as in furthering the regional integration of French overseas communities in the Americas.”
The agreement will allow the Territorial Collectivity of Martinique to join CARICOM as an associate member, following the signing of the arrangement on February 20, 2025, in Bridgetown, Barbados. It also opens the door for other French territorial collectivities in the Antilles-Guyana region to pursue associate membership.
France said it has supported Martinique throughout what it described as a complex legal process involving domestic law, European Union rules and CARICOM regulations.
The statement added that the development creates “concrete prospects” for Martinique and other potential associate members, including participation in CARICOM meetings and agencies, improved access to regional information, and greater capacity to engage in the Caribbean space.
It also said the move complements the involvement of French territories in other regional bodies such as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).
“This development forms part of France’s ambitious policy aimed at strengthening the regional integration of its overseas territories,” the statement said, linking the initiative to broader goals of economic development, resilience and regional influence. It referenced policy directions set out in France’s 2023 Interministerial Committee for Overseas Territories and reaffirmed in 2025.
Earlier this year, the French Senate gave its backing for Martinique to pursue associate membership within CARICOM, with the vote in January 2026 described as opening a new phase for the territory’s regional engagement.
Commenting on the development, the French-based platform Richès Karayib said the move represents a shift from symbolic inclusion toward practical cooperation.
“The challenge now is to transform this institutional framework into tangible projects and useful cooperation for the territory and its stakeholders,” it said, adding that CARICOM membership should serve as a foundation for Martinique’s development and deeper Caribbean integration.
