ACS Secretary General Luis Fernando Andrade Falla (right) and Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission (EC) to Trinidad & Tobago,
Mr. Stelios Christopoulos at the ACS Secretariat in Port of Spain

Port of Spain (March 31, 2009) – Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla, accompanied by the ACS Political Advisor, Dr. Watson Denis, recently extended congratulations to the Chargé d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission (EC) to Trinidad & Tobago, Mr. Stelios Christopoulos, on the occasion of remitting to him the official instrument recognizing the EU as Observer of the Association.

The EU was formally accepted as an Observer to the ACS at the 14th Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council which took place in Port au Prince, Haiti, on 30 January 2009. The two institutions have expressed mutual interest in strengthening relations.

The European Union through its Commission is a major developmental partner to the region at the multilateral and bilateral levels.  Since 2001 the consolidation of cooperation ties and dialogue between the ACS and EU has been one of the major strategic objectives of the ACS.