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CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA, September 1, 2025 — The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has entered into a historic partnership with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at accelerating the region’s clean energy transition and strengthening resilience to climate change.

The signing took place during the Seventh Meeting of the ISA Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Santiago, Chile from August 4–6, 2025, under the theme “Harnessing Solar Power for Resilience, Growth, and Unity in the Region.”

A Strategic Shift in Energy Policy

The MOU establishes a comprehensive framework for cooperation between the OECS and ISA, targeting priority areas such as financing, capacity-building, and technical assistance. Specifically, the agreement seeks to:

• Promote the OECS Sustainable Energy Framework, the OECS Greenprint, and the Caribbean NDC Finance Initiative.
• Mobilise public and private finance for solar energy, including climate finance instruments and ISA’s Global Solar Facility.
• Strengthen institutional capacities via regional training programmes, technical exchanges, and the establishment of Solar Technology Application Resource Centres (STAR–C) across OECS Member States.

The OECS has underscored that this collaboration will be central to its Decade of Action on Sustainable Energy (2025–2035), positioning solar energy not merely as an option but as a cornerstone of development for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Voices from the Region and Beyond

Hon. Kerryne James, Minister of Climate Resilience, the Environment, and Renewable Energy and ISA Co-Chair for the LAC Regional Committee, highlighted the persistent financing challenges:

“We must recognise that the continuing challenges, especially access to financing for the energy transition, remain a major challenge for SIDS.”

ISA Director-General, Mr. Ashish Khanna, said the partnership would establish a regional Centre of Excellence for solar energy in the OECS:

“This initiative reflects our shared ambition to accelerate the Caribbean’s clean energy transition. By advancing aggregated solar procurement and innovative digital tender platforms, it will drive efficiency, lower costs, and attract significant private investment.”

OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules, framed the MOU as a transformative step:

“This partnership with the International Solar Alliance represents more than an energy initiative. It is a strategic investment in the resilience, economic independence, and sustainability of our people.”

Transforming Energy and Development in the OECS

With all six independent OECS states — Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — participating in the Santiago meeting, the agreement is seen as a collective declaration of intent to fast-track solar adoption.

By reducing dependence on imported diesel, lowering energy costs, and creating new opportunities in the green economy, the OECS–ISA partnership signals a bold step toward energy independence and climate resilience.

As the Caribbean faces mounting climate and economic pressures, the MOU stands as a commitment to transform the region’s future through sustainable energy — turning vision into action and promise into tangible change.

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