The United Progressive Party is proposing a dedicated Diaspora Affairs portfolio as part of its 2026 manifesto, outlining a package aimed at strengthening ties with Antiguans and Barbudans living abroad and making it easier for them to invest, return and reconnect with home.
Upp Proposes Diaspora Affairs
Among the more eye-catching proposals is a plan to partner with diaspora communities to create a retirement village.
The party is also proposing to revive Homecoming as part of the Independence celebrations, saying the festival would be used to promote family, school and community reunions while deepening ties to the country’s culture and heritage.
According to the platform, a UPP government would establish a Diaspora Affairs portfolio within the Office of the Prime Minister, describing nationals abroad as one of Antigua and Barbuda’s primary intellectual and economic resources.
The party says the aim would be to build stronger economic and social partnerships with citizens living overseas while creating structures to bring them home “in every sense.”
The manifesto also promises a one-stop shop for diaspora-related services, which the party says would provide a single point of contact for advice, direction and the processing of government matters such as investments, land acquisition and professional opportunities.
The diaspora section sits alongside the manifesto’s 15 main pillars and suggests the UPP is trying to broaden its election appeal beyond domestic voters by directly addressing nationals overseas, many of whom remain financially, socially and emotionally tied to Antigua and Barbuda.
