Above: Then-Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the last CARICOM-Mexico summit in 2012 (CJ file photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Caribbean heads of government and Mexican officials are gathering in Merida, Mexico on Tuesday for the third-ever CARICOM-Mexico summit.

The high-level talks come two years after a similar meeting held at the Hilton in Barbados.

In a statement, CARICOM said the talks would focus on agriculture and disaster risk reduction. The meeting on Tuesday will include a gathering of regional foreign ministers as well.

At the last CARICOM-Mexico summit in 2012, then-Mexican President urged deeper ties between the two neighbours on the Caribbean sea, calling the Caribbean “our third border.”

““[It is] an area with which we share a common destiny and aspirations of greater prosperity for our societies,” Calderon said at the time. “We are part of the Caribbean sea, part of the region and we feel that we will be part of the Caribbean Community.”

Mexico and CARICOM first agreed on a joint commission 40 years ago.