ACS and Korea Forge Paths for Enhanced Regional Cooperation
The Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Rodolfo Sabonge, and the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, His Excellency Dongil Oh, held wide ranging talks on the strong cooperation relationship between the parties, which are set to deepen in the coming months. The dialogue also touched upon preparation for the series of meetings scheduled to take place in Suriname, including the 16th Business Forum of the Greater Caribbean, the 8th International Cooperation Conference and the 29th Ministerial Council Meeting. This year is particularly notable as it marks the countdown to the celebration of the ACS's 30th Anniversary.
This meeting was also attended by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Trinidad and Tobago's First Secretary, Lucas Young June, the Researcher, Dr. Ryu Seung-ok, ACS' Chief Executive Coordinator, Tricia Barrow and the Advisor for Cooperation and Resource Mobilisation, Lisa Douglas-Paul.
During the discussion, the Secretary General and the Ambassador discussed possibilities for expanding the Sandy Shorelines project, which has had a significant impact on disaster risk reduction and the protection of the region's shorelines.
Additionally, they discussed the progress made in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the ACS and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea on October 10, 2023, which aims to promote cooperation in marine science and technology between Korea and the Greater Caribbean region.
The Secretary General and the Ambassador reaffirmed the strong partnership between ACS and the Republic of Korea and highlighted a shared commitment to addressing environmental challenges and enhancing regional cooperation for sustainable development.
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.