News

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – September 2026. The Association of Caribbean States is beginning a new phase of work in which coordination and continuity will be decisive in transforming the shared vision of its Member States and Associate Members into concrete results for the Greater Caribbean.

The 68th Meeting of the Executive Board of the Ministerial Council made it possible to advance coordination among the new Chairmanship, the members of the Executive Board and the General Secretariat in order to support the implementation of priorities within the framework of the Greater Caribbean 2035 Strategic Plan: A Shared Horizon – From Our Common Sea toward Sustainable Development and Well-being.

The meeting, which on this occasion was open to the Association’s membership, included the participation of 14 Member States and 3 Associate Members, broadening the exchange beyond the members of the Executive Board and encouraging greater participation by the membership in defining the working dynamic that will accompany this new period.

This step takes on special importance in the Association’s new cycle. The ACS now has a strategic vision that projects the Greater Caribbean toward 2035 and calls for an organization increasingly capable of articulating political will, cooperation and regional action.

In this context, strengthening coordination mechanisms is not merely an administrative matter. It is a condition for ensuring that the priorities agreed upon by the countries and territories of the region can move forward in an orderly, sustainable and results-oriented manner.

“This coordination will be essential to ensure timely follow-up on the decisions of the Ministerial Council and to move forward in an orderly manner on the Association’s priorities, but above all to bring consistency to our work,” stated H.E. Noemí Espinoza, Secretary-General of the ACS.

During the meeting, key elements for this new working dynamic were addressed, including the Work Plan of the Executive Board and the preliminary calendar of meetings of the Association for the 2026–2027 cycle. Taken together, these elements will make it possible to build a realistic work path and strengthen the institutional conditions necessary to move toward execution.

An ACS that Turns Decisions into Action

The message emerging from this 68th Meeting is clear: the new vision of the ACS also requires a new working dynamic.

Better coordination means ensuring continuity in decisions, connecting political priorities with the technical capacity of the General Secretariat and creating the conditions for regional cooperation to increasingly translate into initiatives and results that respond to the shared challenges of the Greater Caribbean.

This capacity will be essential to advancing the Association’s strategic priorities in areas such as the preservation of the Caribbean Sea, trade and economic relations, risk reduction with a climate justice approach, transport and connectivity, and sustainable tourism, culture and heritage.

For the Secretary-General, the period now beginning offers an opportunity to demonstrate that the ACS can be an increasingly dynamic, effective and relevant organization for its members and, especially, for the people of the Greater Caribbean.

“The Secretariat is fully committed to this purpose and will continue working hand in hand with the Chairmanship and this Executive Board to translate our decisions into concrete results,” affirmed H.E. Noemí Espinoza at the close of the meeting.

The 68th Meeting of the Executive Board thus opens a cycle that places emphasis not only on agreeing on a common direction, but also on creating the conditions to move forward together.