On Friday 25 August, the Government of Barbados and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) signed an agreement establishing an IOM national office in Barbados, which will also serve as the Coordination Office for the Caribbean.  Barbados became a member of IOM on 30 November 2022. The new office will enable the Organization to support national migration related initiatives in Barbados, and regional initiatives to benefit the English and Dutch Speaking Caribbean.   

Now, with its presence in nine countries in the sub-region, IOM can help bring Caribbean countries’ migration governance issues and opportunities to the forefront, including through its engagement with regional institutions, such as CARICOM and OECS. Patrice Quesada will serve as IOM Coordination Officer for the Caribbean and Chief of Mission Barbados. 

In the words of Barbados’ Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kerrie Symmonds: “This signing has immense potential to continue to help the Caribbean community to harness the benefits of regular migration, even as we confront the challenges of our time...among those...migration triggered by climate emergencies, and migration triggered by civil instability in our region”. 

Honourable Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams noted: “We have a declining population.  Now that puts all of our structures at risk, and it is something that we have to address, but ...in a comprehensive, meaningful, thought-out and structured way.  And that’s where you [IOM] come in… I am very happy for the offer, and I will tell you upfront that we will happily accept assistance with the policy on migration”. 

Minister Abrahams also expressed gratitude for the support of IOM and remarked that the agreement would "Allow for the further pooling of resources between IOM and the Government of Barbados to mutual benefit...Government is currently embarking on the process of fine tuning the new Citizenship and Immigration Legislation for Barbados and intends to have a managed migration policy to attract the skillsets that would take the Barbados population forward." 

IOM and the Government of Barbados are pleased to have a formal presence established in Barbados and look forward to continuing to foster collaboration for safe orderly and regular migration to the benefit to all. 

The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation reported on the signing here Barbados, IOM sign cooperation agreement 

IOM also recently finalized the documentation for its new office in Suriname, bringing the number of offices under the Coordination Office for the Caribbean to nine. 

Here also is a blog from the Government Information Service - GIS Barbados Migration Benefits And Challenges Discussed | GIS (gisbarbados.gov.bb)