CARICOM Integration: Martinique has officially taken its seat as an Associate Member of CARICOM for the first time, after nearly a decade of steps on both the French and CARICOM sides, giving it the right to attend CARICOM meetings and summits. Regional Cooperation: On the sidelines of the CARICOM summit in Saint Lucia, Martinique and Barbados signed a five-year cooperation agreement covering education, health, tourism, trade facilitation, fisheries, sport, culture, vocational training, and disaster risk management, with a joint committee to track results. Security Agenda: Dominica’s PM Roosevelt Skerrit pushed for a broader, coordinated Caribbean security approach at a Martinique conference, arguing threats now include cybersecurity, maritime protection, and food and energy insecurity—not just policing. Sargassum Plan: OECS says it is adapting strategies used in Martinique and Guadeloupe to tackle sargassum, including turning the seaweed into potential economic products. Drought Watch: France placed 98 of 101 departments under drought monitoring; in the French Caribbean, Guadeloupe and Martinique are on alert. Travel & Trade: Oceania Cruises is expanding its Caribbean program with longer itineraries and shore excursions, including banana plantation visits in Martinique. Culture: Jamaican reggae star Fantan Mojah died at 49 after heart-related complications, with reports linking his health struggles to a hospitalisation in Martinique in 2024.