Port of Spain (February 22, 2011) – The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) Secretary General, Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla attended the XXXVI Ordinary Meeting of Heads of States and Government of Countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA- for its acronyms in Spanish) held in San Pedro, Cayo Ambergris, Belize, on December 16 2010. The Meeting focused on issues pertaining to the integration of Central America and the Caribbean region and also highlighted topics such as peaceful settlement of disputes, the First International Conference in Support of the Central American Security Strategy, Gender, Immigration, Customs Union, Food and Nutritional Security, Climate Change Strategy, and the Value of SICA-CARICOM-ACS.

Moreover, it was agreed to instruct the Secretariat of SICA for further strengthening of the institutional relationship with the Secretary General of CARICOM and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), to focus on their common interests and agendas which will certainly benefit the convergence and higher levels of integration and cooperation among the countries of Central America and the Caribbean. Throughout this process, reference was also made to matters of free trade zone between Central America-CARICOM, environmental policies and the preservation and protection of resources and marine biodiversity of the Caribbean Sea, as well as the promotion of air and marine connectivity, the trade and investment facilitation and articulation of policies for sustainable tourism.

The ACS Secretary General, Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla used this opportunity to engage in discussions regarding the continued role of the ACS as a platform for collaboration between the regional and sub-regional integration mechanisms.

Credits : Photo by Olivera Rusu