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Since its inception in 1994, the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) has recognised the importance of the Caribbean Sea to the peoples of the Greater Caribbean as well as the value of developing and utilising its resources in a sustainable manner. Five years later, Heads of State and/or Government at the 2nd ACS Summit in the Dominican Republic mandated the Association to convene a high level group of experts to study the theme of having the Caribbean Sea declared a Special Area in the context of Sustainable Development. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) formed for this purpose in 2003 carried out a review and assessment of existing technical information relating to the proposal for securing the international recognition of the Caribbean Sea as a Special Area in the context of Sustainable Development. In 2006, ACS Ministers of Foreign Affairs agreed on the formation of a Follow-Up Commission “to do the strategic planning and technical follow-up work for the advancement of the Caribbean Sea Initiative and to formulate a practical and action-oriented work programme for the further development and implementation of the Initiative taking into account the work already undertaken by the TAG and other relevant regional stakeholders.” On September 11, 2006, this Commission met and formally constituted itself. Its two permanent members are the ACS Secretary General and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. The other members were elected for a two year period from October 2006 until October 2008. The composition of the current Commission is as follows: Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago (CARICOM); Costa Rica and Guatemala (Central America); Cuba and Panama (Non-Grouped Countries); Mexico (G-3); France (in respect of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana) and Aruba (Associate Members). Senator Angela Cropper and the United Nations Environment Programme also hold seats in the Commission. The Secretariat is awaiting the response of one Member State, as well as the appointment of a third expert to complete the membership of the Commission. The Commission’s executive is comprised of Barbados, as Chairman of the group and Panama and Guatemala as Vice Chairmen. Details on the Caribbean Sea Initiative can be found in the attached “Synthesis of Issues and Challenges surrounding the Caribbean Sea Initiative.” About the ACS The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba , France on behalf of French Guiana , Guadeloupe , and Martinique , and the Netherlands Antilles . For further information, please contact: Denise Lewis Martínez |
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Association of Caribbean States ©
2007 |