Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, May 23rd, 2016 – The Secretariat of the Association of Caribbean States, in its desire and continued efforts to promote the sustainable development of the Greater Caribbean through “consultation, cooperation and concerted action” is honoured to announce that The VII Summit of the ACS Heads of State and/or Government will convene on Saturday June 4th 2016 as was proposed by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, His Excellency Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, on the occasion of the XXI Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Council, which took place in Pétion-Ville, Haiti, on January 19th 2016.
The theme of this year’s summit: “Together for a Sustainable Caribbean” mirrors the hard work, priority and dedication of the Association of Caribbean States in achieving this goal throughout the Small Island Developing States of the Greater Caribbean Region. This Summit is a continuation of the joint efforts to revitalize the vision of the ACS for a stronger and more united Greater Caribbean as well as to promote sustainability, as was expressed in the Declaration of Pétion-Ville of April 13th 2013.
The ACS continues to work diligently to make this desire tangible, and alongside the Member States and Associate Members, recognize that, in order for such ambitions to materialize, specific and pertinent issues must be of top priority.
It is for this reason; the focal area of this honourable and historical meeting will be the protection and preservation of our common heritage, the Caribbean Sea.
The Caribbean Sea Commission of the ACS – which was established in 2006 to promote and oversee the sustainable use of the Caribbean Sea – held a symposium called “Challenges, Dialogues and Cooperation towards the Sustainability of the Caribbean Sea” in November 2015, focusing on the main impacts of Sargassum Seaweed, Lionfish Invasion and Coastal Erosion. The ACS aims, therefore, at continuing the dialogue and work as they move towards the horizon of positive and effective change.
The ACS also announces the departure of Secretary General, His Excellency Alfonso David Múnera Cavadía, who served the Association from 2012 and whose four year tenure of office will end in June 2016 after the Summit has convened.
On the agenda of the Summit as well, is the appointment of a new Secretary General who will head the ACS for the next four years.
The ACS is greatly anticipating this upcoming summit and it is the distinguished privilege of the Secretariat of the Association of Caribbean States to join with the Honourable Ministries, Secretariats and Departments of Foreign Affairs of the ACS Member States and Associate Members for the common vision, mission and action of achieving a Sustainable Caribbean together.
