ACS convenes the XXI Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council in Haiti
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, January 11th, 2016 – The 21st Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) will convene on 19th January, 2016 in Pétion- Ville, Republic of Haiti.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti, H.E. Lener Renauld, in his capacity as Chairman of the Ministerial Council is expected to deliver opening remarks followed by H.E. Alfonso Múnera, Secretary General of the ACS who will report on the activities of the organisation for the period.
Key activities outlined in the agenda include extensive dialogue on the Sustainability of the Caribbean Sea and the outcomes of the I Symposium of the Caribbean Sea Commission which was held on the 23rd- 24th November, 2015 in Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Ministers and Heads of Delegations will discuss in depth the conclusions and recommendations resulting from the Symposium and will take joint decisions for the continued strengthening of the protection and preservation of the Caribbean Sea.
The Meeting will further consider a proposal by the delegation of the Republic of Cuba to host the 7th Summit of Heads of State and/or Government of the ACS during the first semester of 2016.
Decisions will also be taken for the appointment of the Executive Boards of the Ministerial Council, Special Committees of Trade Development and External Economic Relations, Transport, Sustainable Tourism, Disaster Risk Reduction and Budget and Administration as well as the Council of National Representatives of the Special Fund for the period 2016-2017.
Of significant importance on the agenda will be the election of the sixth Secretary General of the ACS. Delegates will also consider the recommendations for the term extension of the Directors of Sustainable Tourism and Trade Development and External Economic Relations of the ACS.
Delegations will also examine recommendations put forward regarding the possible acceptance of the request of Belarus to become an Observer Country of the ACS, as well as that of the International Organisation for Migration as an Observer Organisation of the ACS. Additionally the Secretariat will inform the Meeting of Saint Martin’s request to become an Associate Member in its own right.
Participants of the 21st Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council will include representatives of the Member States, Associate Members, Founding Observers, Observer Countries and Social Actors. This Meeting will be preceded by a Preparatory session which will take place on the previous day.
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, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.