In a remarkable advancement for regional connectivity, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission and Sunrise Airways Ltd. entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 31 July.
This strategic, non-binding partnership focuses on enhancing air travel and transportation, both long-standing hindrances to integration in the OECS.
The MOU acknowledges the critical role of air transport in facilitating trade, tourism, disaster response, education, and free movement in alignment with the Revised Treaty of Basseterre. This collaborative framework also aims to foster sustainability and resilience in connectivity within the region, marking a commitment to enhance cooperation between aviation and travel stakeholders, targeted policy development, and welcoming fresh approaches toward addressing existing gaps.
The MOU outlines several areas of cooperation:
- Regional Connectivity and Economic Growth — Expansion of intra-OECS air services
- Tourism and Multi-Destination Travel — Joint promotion and seamless visitor access
- Cargo and Trade Logistics — Improved freight transport and support for food security
- Sustainability and Policy Reform — Promotion of green aviation and regulatory improvements
- Disaster Preparedness — Emergency airlift and crisis response coordination
- Education and Cultural Exchange — Mobility support for students and professionals
- Training and Capacity Building — Technical and managerial aviation training
- Digital Innovation — Adoption of smart solutions for efficiency and sustainability
- Strategic Planning — Joint dialogue and technical cooperation on air transport policy
Dr Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, remarked about the urgency for regional connectivity at the signing ceremony. “Today’s occasion is much more than a ceremonial act. It represents the convergence of a shared vision: one in which air connectivity in the Eastern Caribbean is no longer a constraint, but a catalyst for opportunity, for innovation, and for unity.” “We gather at a time of significant global and regional transformation. The Covid-19 pandemic challenged every sector, but few as deeply and as immediately as aviation. Yet, even before the pandemic, intra-regional travel remained an elusive goal — complex, costly, and in many ways, inefficient. For small island developing states, these challenges take on greater weight. Connectivity is not optional — it is existential.”
Phillippe Bayard, Founder and Chairman of Sunrise Airways, emphasised that there are opportunities to overcome the challenge of fragmentation in the region. He said, “The Caribbean remains disconnected not just because of aviation limitations, but because there is still not enough trade, economic interaction, and practical cooperation between us. This, in part, stems from our complex history. The legacy of different colonial systems, French, Dutch, British, American, has left us with a fragmented patchwork of laws, currencies, languages, and conventions that often make inter-island trade more difficult than overseas trade.” “This is difficult to explain and even harder to change. But it must be acknowledged. Because if we saw ourselves as a single integrated Caribbean community, a market of nearly 45 million people, with shared airspace, coordinated logistics, and collective ambition, we would unlock vast new potential for growth, resilience, and dignity.”
“That is the real opportunity before us. And that is why this MOU is more than an airline agreement; it is a step toward that vision.”
Gary Stone, CEO of Sunrise Airways, made closing remarks at the ceremony. He said, “I firmly believe that the region possesses the potential to achieve remarkable heights in the foreseeable future, catalysing economic growth, facilitating trade, and fostering enhanced self-reliance. We eagerly anticipate collaborating as full partners in this visionary framework for a more robust, cohesive, and prosperous Eastern Caribbean.”
“The commencement of this partnership today embodies our shared understanding that collective efforts yield more substantial accomplishments.”
The Revised Treaty of Basseterre (Article 19) requires OECS Member States to work towards the progressive harmonisation of air transport policies, particularly in tourism and trade. Additionally, Member States have agreed to create conditions that enable the implementation of sustainable solutions to address their economic, social, and environmental needs. This MOU signifies bounds of progress for OECS Member States in accomplishing these treaty requirements.
OECS
