Martinique signing the accession agreement at the Caricom summit held in Barbados in February last year. Photo: CMC

French officials, however, note that the Senate decision on January 28 does not represent the definitive culmination of the institutional process, as the text still has to be examined by the French National Assembly to complete the French legislative procedure.

But they said that the widely supported vote is a strong political signal in favour of the 15-member grouping that has long remained partial for the French Caribbean territories.

Created in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas, Caricom brings together sovereign states and several non-independent territories around common priorities, including economic integration, mobility, climate resilience, public health, education and cultural cooperation.

For the French territories in the region, relations with Caricom have long been indirect, limited to one-off partnerships or technical cooperation without any real institutional framework and the French authorities say Martinique’s accession as an associate member is intended to fill this gap.

Associate membership, provided for under the Treaty of Chaguaramas, is reserved for non-sovereign territories. It enables active participation in Caricom’s work and programmes, but excludes sovereign powers such as foreign policy or the right to vote on decisions binding on member states.

The French officials say Martinique’s accession in no way alters its institutional status and that the territory remains a French collectivity governed by the code général des collectivités territoriales, and fully retains its status as an outermost region of the European Union.

The French legal framework authorises local authorities to join regional organisations, subject to the agreement of the state. This does not involve any transfer of competence, or any questioning of French or European sovereignty.

“The Senate’s vote on January 28, 2026 opens a new phase for Martinique within Caricom. The challenge now is to transform this institutional framework into tangible projects and useful cooperation for the territory and its stakeholders.

“Membership is not a symbolic achievement, but the starting point for a regional participation that will be translated into action, in the service of Martinique’s development and integration into the Caribbean,” according to the French-based Richès Karayib, a multimodal and multilingual media platform dedicated to showcasing the culture, heritage and tourism of the Caribbean.