Heads of state in the Caribbean have agreed to share details among themselves before forming a regional stance, but they have refrained from taking a collective stance on a request from the United Nations for member nations to accept citizens of third countries. Philip J. Pierre, the leader of the government of Saint Lucia, the sitting Chairman of CARICOM, confirmed the matter had been discussed at the 51st Regular Meeting of Heads of Government but said clarity across the fifteen-member bloc remains lacking.

Pierre made the comments at the closing ceremony of the summit on Wednesday, responding to a journalist's question about whether the issue had been addressed collectively and what conclusion, if any, had been reached. He said leaders had agreed to share more detail on what individual islands are doing in response to the US request before any common approach could be settled. The United States has asked most Caribbean nations to accept nationals of third countries, he said, but the region does not yet have a full picture of how each state is responding.

The request centres on proposed Memoranda of Understanding put forward by the US government covering transit arrangements for third-country nationals. In a statement issued on Thursday, CARICOM said the Conference of Heads of Government had met in caucus to consider the proposals alongside other matters of concern to the Community. Leaders discussed the capacity of small states to manage the transit of these individuals, a subject the statement described as a shared concern across the region.

CARICOM was explicit that the arrangements are intended to facilitate the return of individuals without a criminal record to their home countries, rather than to permit settlement within member states. Heads of government said it was important that citizens understand this distinction and agreed that public engagement on the issue would be necessary. The statement did not specify how such engagement would be carried out or on what timeline.

Leaders also stressed that any transit arrangements must not compromise the security of countries in the region or divert resources and services from citizens. This concern was raised repeatedly during the caucus discussions, according to the CARICOM statement, reflecting anxiety among smaller states about the practical burden of hosting transiting nationals even on a temporary basis. The statement gave no indication of what capacity constraints have already been identified or which states raised them.

The Heads of Government reaffirmed their commitment to principles of safe, orderly and regular migration, along with respect for the dignity of migrants. The statement placed this reaffirmation alongside an acknowledgement of what it called the region's longstanding cooperation and close partnership with the United States, noting the importance Washington has placed on securing the proposed MOUs.

According to the statement, some CARICOM countries have already signed agreements with the United States, while others remain in discussions. It did not name which states fall into either category. The statement added that thirty countries worldwide have already signed similar TCN memoranda with the US government, situating the Caribbean discussions within a broader pattern of American diplomatic outreach on the issue.

Pierre's remarks suggest that despite the caucus discussions, CARICOM member states are approaching the request individually for now, with the promised information exchange intended to precede any attempt at a unified regional position. No timeline was given for when that position might be reached, and it remains unclear how divergent the approaches of individual governments have been to date.

The 51st Regular Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government concluded on Wednesday, with the third-country national issue one of several matters addressed during the closing session alongside broader regional business.