(from left) Ms Elizabeth Browne, Canadian High Commission in Trinidad & Tobago,
Mr Douglas Williams, Head of Aid for Barbados & OECS, CIDA and
ACS Secretary General, Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla

Port of Spain (March 31, 2009) – High-level representatives from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Canadian High Commission in Trinidad & Tobago paid a visit to the headquarters of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) on 23 March 2009, where they met with the ACS Secretary General, Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla and Political Advisor, Dr Watson Denis.

Mr Douglas Williams, Head of Aid for Barbados & OECS, CIDA, who was accompanied by Ms Elizabeth Browne of the Canadian High Commission in Trinidad & Tobago, expressed an interest in the Association’s current work programme and activities.

Ambassador Andrade gave an overview of the recent developments in the ACS focal areas of trade, sustainable tourism, transport and disaster risk reduction as well as progress made by the Caribbean Sea Commission.

Canada is an Observer Country of the ACS, and CIDA was established in 1968 as Canada’s lead agency for development assistance. CIDA’s mandate is to support sustainable development in developing countries in order to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world.