The University of the West Indies (The UWI) and the Regional Security System (RSS) are preparing to bring regional security experts and policymakers together in Barbados as they seek practical ways to respond to the Caribbean’s increasingly complex security challenges.
The two institutions will host the Caribbean Security Futures Symposium from October 7 to 9, 2026, according to a press release from The UWI.
The three-day event will examine threats ranging from transnational organised crime, cybercrime and human trafficking to illicit financial flows, irregular migration and climate-related risks.
Security practitioners, policymakers, academics, technology experts, regional and international partners and other stakeholders are expected to participate. The symposium is supported by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and DC Office People.
The UWI said discussions will focus on the links between these threats and ways to strengthen security governance across the region. Participants will take part in keynote presentations, expert panels, strategic sessions, roundtable discussions and interactive workshops.
One area of focus will be illicit financing, including the role of virtual assets in contributing to criminal networks and placing pressure on national and regional financial systems. Participants will also explore ways to disrupt transnational criminal operations and improve cooperation among law enforcement agencies across borders.
The symposium will also turn attention to emerging technology. Sessions will examine artificial intelligence, security governance and the opportunities and risks associated with dual-use technologies, as well as the Caribbean’s position within changing global technology and security frameworks.
Maritime security and the Blue Economy will also feature, with discussions on how regional resources and partnerships can support both economic development and security.
UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles said the region’s interconnected security problems require similarly coordinated responses:
“The Caribbean’s security challenges are deeply interconnected and require equally integrated responses. As the region’s premier university, The UWI has a responsibility to generate knowledge, foster meaningful dialogue and support the development of innovative solutions that strengthen institutions, protect communities and advance regional resilience. This symposium represents an important opportunity to bring together expertise from across sectors to help shape a more secure future for the Caribbean.”
RSS Executive Director Rear Admiral Errington Shurland said the changing nature of crime and security threats makes greater regional cooperation necessary.
“The threats confronting the Caribbean today do not recognise national borders, and our responses cannot be confined by them. The growing interconnectedness of transnational organised crime, cyber threats, illicit financial activity and emerging technologies across borders requires us to think and act collectively,” said Shurland.
Shurland said the RSS believes regional security is strengthened when institutions combine their expertise, resources and capabilities.
He said the symposium will allow participants to assess the existing regional security architecture, identify shortcomings and consider adjustments needed to better respond to the changing needs of member states.
The event will conclude with a keynote address on strategic security governance in a changing Caribbean and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between The UWI and RSS, marking a deeper long-term partnership between the institutions.
The organisers expect the symposium to produce policy and legislative recommendations, stronger regional security cooperation frameworks and a roadmap for integrated security data systems.
It will also support longer-term initiatives, including strategic advisory groups, a regional security research agenda, the Caribbean Security Futures Podcast and a proposed joint UWI-RSS degree programme in International and Regional Security.
The UWI said these initiatives are intended to help the Caribbean better anticipate emerging threats, coordinate responses and strengthen its security architecture.
Planning for the symposium is being led jointly by the RSS and The UWI through the RSS Headquarters and The UWI Regional Headquarters’ Office of Global Affairs, with involvement from the university’s Centre for Criminal Justice and Security at Cave Hill and Institute for International Relations at St. Augustine.
