ACS Secretary General meets with Guyana's Foreign Minister
On February 9, 2023, the Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Rodolfo Sabonge, accompanied by Consultant in the Office of the Secretary General, Ms. Tricia Barrow, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Hugh Todd.
In a meeting devoted to addressing the key interests of Guyana, a founding member of the ACS, ahead of the 9th Summit of the Association, the issue of transport was raised as a matter requiring special attention. The ACS has initiated discussions with the World Bank and CAF – the Development Bank of Latin America- to collaborate in the development and implementation of a regional air and maritime logistics strategy. Minister Todd emphasised the urgent need to find solutions to the transport dilemma to facilitate, inter alia, the achievement of the 25% by 2025 food security agenda being spearheaded by his country on behalf of the Caribbean Community, a sub grouping of the ACS.
Reaffirming Guyana’s commitment to the ACS, the Minister noted that the other foci of the ACS, namely climate change and sustainable tourism, find resonance with Guyana’s development strategy as the country continues its low carbon development strategy and advocates for global recognition of the importance of standing forests.
The Minister was invited to participate in the ACS meetings to be held during the week of May 8, 2023, in Antigua, Guatemala and to including the 7th International Cooperation Conference, 15th ACS Business Forum and Ministerial meeting just prior to the Summit.
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.