Foreign Affairs Minister E. P. Chet Greene has urged Ireland to maintain strong advocacy for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as the country prepares to assume the presidency of the European Union. According to Antigua.news, Greene made the appeal on Tuesday at Government House during the launch of a new exhibition titled Entangled Islands, which highlights the shared history between Ireland and the Caribbean.
Addressing attendees at the event, Greene stressed the importance of Ireland's forthcoming EU leadership role at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty. He warned that the pressing concerns of small island nations risk being pushed aside on the global stage.
"It is very easy for our interests — access to financing, advocacy to protect key sectors such as the Citizenship by Investment Programme, and the operationalization of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS — to be overlooked," Greene said.
The minister expressed confidence in Ireland's dedication to the cause, pointing to its SIDS Partnership Strategy, which aims to use its position within the EU to ensure that policies and support mechanisms deliver tangible benefits for small island nations.
Greene also used the occasion to advocate for deeper economic ties between Ireland and the Caribbean region. Citing his participation in the Ireland–Latin America and Caribbean Trade Summit in 2023, he called on Irish officials to organise a follow-up meeting and consider leading a trade mission to the Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda.
"As we look to the future, I know that our ambassadors will continue to advance these relations," Greene said, extending a direct invitation for Irish leaders — including the Taoiseach — to visit St. John's.
The minister's remarks reflect Antigua and Barbuda's broader diplomatic push to strengthen international partnerships while keeping the vulnerabilities and priorities of SIDS firmly on the global agenda.
