JOINT COMMUNIQUE EUROPEAN UNION – BAHAMAS PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE SUNDAY, 18TH OCTOBER 2026
For Immediate Release
The Ninth European Union – Bahamas Partnership Dialogue was held on Sunday 18th October 2026 in Nassau, under the theme, European Union – Bahamas Relations: Charting the Next Fifty Years.
The Dialogue was co-chaired by Her Excellency Jerusa Ali, Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and Her Excellency Erja Askola, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas, in accordance with Article 3 of the Samoa Agreement.
Delegates from both sides addressed developments in the longstanding EU- Bahamas partnership, including the Samoa Agreement and the Caribbean Protocol, the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the EU’s Global Gateway Investment Agenda, as well as preparation for the next EU-CELAC Summit.
In the area of peace and global stability, both sides expressed concern regarding the situation in Haiti and reiterated their support for the United Nations-mandated Gang Suppression Force. Both sides showcased alignment on critical global issues and their commitment to effective rules-based international order and to multilateralism. Both sides also discussed Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and reaffirmed their shared commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On global challenges, the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation on human-centric, trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, including through the EU-LAC Digital Alliance. Looking ahead to COP31 in Turkiye and COP17 in Armenia, both sides reiterated their support for environmental cooperation, climate resilience and adaptation financing initiatives, such as the Green Climate Fund and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
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From left to right: Ms Charmaine Williams, Head of the Economic, Trade and Development Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bahamas; Her Excellency Erja Askola, Head of the European Union Delegation Mission Office; Her Excellency Jerusa Ali, Director- General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Her Excellency Doris Mircea, Ambassador of Romania; Her Excellency Maria Velasco, Ambassador of Sweden, Her Excellency Avida de Amarim, Ambassador of France, Ms. Barbara Mattias, Deputy Ambassador, European Union Delegation Mission Office. Other EU Ambassadors in picture are His Excellency John Concannon, Ambassador of Ireland and His Excellency Jan HendnkVan Thiel, Ambassador of Germany are pictured at Margaritaville Resort, Nassau, The Bahamas, 18th October 2026 with other participating delegates.