Speeches

It is a genuine pleasure to welcome you to this Eleventh Meeting of the Coordination Mechanism of the Ministerial Council.

The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) is at a particularly important juncture. The approval of our Strategic Plan Towards 2035 has provided us with a shared horizon and greater clarity regarding the direction in which we wish to move forward as an organisation and, above all, what we aim to achieve for the Greater Caribbean.

Reaching this point has required considerable effort, but we now face the challenge of turning this Plan into reality. To accomplish this, we need the full engagement and active contribution of all the bodies that make up the Association.

This Coordination Mechanism is key to this task.

The work carried out within this forum must serve as a platform for coordination and an enabling mechanism to guide the activities that our Special Committees, the Caribbean Sea Commission and the other bodies of the Association will subsequently undertake. Its role is to ensure that we move forward coherently, with shared priorities and, above all, a common vision for implementation.

Today, we are taking another step along this path. To this end, we will present for your consideration and feedback a document prepared under the leadership of the Directorate for Cooperation and Resource Mobilisation, with the support of the Office of the Secretary-General and the collaboration of the other Directorates.

The Five-Year Implementation Plan 2026–2030 represents the first effort to translate the objectives of our Strategic Plan into concrete interventions, activities and results.

In other words, we are beginning to chart the course through which this strategic vision can become a reality.

What matters most is translating this Strategic Plan into tangible results, ensuring that concrete actions and, above all, meaningful outcomes reach our entire membership.

The work of the ACS makes a real difference when it adds value to the efforts of individual countries. By working together, we not only strengthen these efforts but also achieve progress in a more strategic and efficient manner.

Beyond the Monitoring Plan that will need to be developed, it is precisely in these outcomes that the true value of this process will be measured.

The Secretariat is putting forward a proposal, but strengthening and implementing it will necessarily require the active involvement of Member States and Associate Members.

I therefore hope that we will have a substantive and practical exchange that will allow us to leave this meeting with clear guidance on the next steps and a solid foundation for continuing our work with the bodies of the Association.

I sincerely thank you for your participation and commitment to this process.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.