The Caribbean is an important projection zone for Colombia, and in this sense, its membership to the ACS has been part of the strategy to get closer to the region through the transfer of experiences and the support to the identify integration actions with the countries that are part of this agency. For this purpose, Colombia has maintained a very active role in the process of strengthening the Association.
The Organization is currently chaired by Trinidad & Tobago in representation of CARICOM. To this purpose, an agreement was approved stating that the Non-Grouped Countries (Panamá, Dominican Republic and Cuba) will preside in 2012 and that in 2013 it shall be assumed by the Group of Three. The Vice-Presidency shall be appointed to Cuba and Venezuela, and Jamaica will serve as Rapporteur.
Colombia has been elected to chair the Special Committee on Natural Disasters, as Rapporteur to the Special Committee on Trade Development and External Economic Relations, and as part of the Council of National Representatives of the Special Fund.
The profile of the Agency:
Creation: Agreement of Cartagena de Indias. July 24, 1994.
Type of Mechanism: regional consultation, consensus and cooperation.
Members: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
Associate Members: Aruba, France (in representation of French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique), the Netherlands Antilles and the Turks and Caicos.
Observers: Argentina, Canada, Chile, Spain, India, Korea and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Objective: According to the Constitutive Agreement the goal is to promote consultation, cooperation and concerted action among all countries in the Caribbean.
Its focal areas were established at the Third Summit of Margarita (2001), which are: Trade, Transport, Sustainable Tourism and Natural Disasters.
Currently, the priorities of the ACS are: work on the Sustainable tourism Zone of the Caribbean; facilitate Training in Languages; Work on the Caribbean Sea initiative; Coordinate the annual Business Forum of the Greater Caribbean; Defend the interests and provide differential treatment for Small Economies; Update Construction Codes: Strengthen Disaster Agencies.
