The Directorate of Trade Development and External Economic Relations of the Association of Caribbean States held its 31st Meeting of the Special Committee at the Secretariat of the ACS on Tuesday 20th September 2016.

The focal points of the agenda were:
I- Actions to further promote trade convergence and greater participation of ACS members, with special emphasis on the small economies of the Greater Caribbean.
II- Development of actions to consolidate and promote the development and expansion of trade and investment, its facilitation, competitiveness and connectivity among countries of the region.
III- Integration of the ACS Region with other regional initiatives relating to Business Convergence
IV- Promotion and encouragement of International Trade negotiations and training on Trade Issues.

Representing the ACS were: Dr. June Soomer (Secretary General)and Mr. Alberto Duran (Director of Trade Development and External Economic Relations

Present at the meeting were representatives/ambassadors from: Barbados (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade) and Colombia (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism)(via video-conference), Colombia (as Chair of the Meeting), Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Curaçao and Peru.
Also present were representatives from the following Organizations: The University of the West Indies and via video-conference: The International Organization for Migration and The Caribbean Export Development Agency.

The Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States attended the Meeting of Regional Organizations and International Institutions held at the Organization of American States Headquarters in Washington DC on September 9th 2016.

A press release by the OAS states, "The Organization of American States and several Regional Organizations and Financial Institutions representing the Caribbean, Central America and South America [...] agreed on the need to forge closer ties and increase collaboration in work programs."

The Meeting was chaired by OAS Assistant Secretary General Mr Nestor Mendez. The participating members in the meeting agreed that the common work areas where increased collaboration is necessary are:
- Social Inclusion
- Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals
- Empowerment of Vulnerable Populations
- Generation of Economic Opportunities

The Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States, Dr. June Soomer, on her official visit to the Republic of Haiti, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Honorable Mr. Pierrot Délienne on Thursday September 15th 2016.

The High Commissioner of Jamaica His Excellency Mr.David Prendergast,paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States, Her Excellency Ambassador Dr. June Soomer on Wednesday 24 August 2016 at the Secretariat of the ACS in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.