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The Association of
Caribbean States was first proposed in October 1992 for the
purpose of promoting economic integration and cooperation in the
region. On 24 July 1994, its convention was signed in Cartagena,
Colombia. The newly established association held its inaugural
session on 17 and 18 of August 1995. Founding observers were the
Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Latin American Economic
System (SELA), the Central American Integration System (SICA)
and the Secretar?ía Permanente del Tratado General de
Integración Económica Centroamericana (SIECA). The United
Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) were
admitted as Founding Observers in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
The ACS promotes
the implementation of policies and programs designed to
develop the collective capabilities of the 206 million people
of the Caribbean Basin and to achieve sustained cultural,
economic, social, scientific and technological advancement
The governing body
of the Association of Caribbean States is composed of a Council
of Ministers and a Secretariat. The Council of Ministers is the
principal body for the formulation of policy and setting of
guidelines for the ACS. It is also charged with establishing
Special Committees, which carry out the work of the Association.
To date, there are eight Special Committees.
The objectives of
the ACS are to strengthen the regional co-operation and
integration process, with a view to creating an enhanced
economic space in the region; preserving the environmental
integrity of the Caribbean Sea which is regarded as the common
patrimony of the peoples of the region; and promoting the
sustainable development of the Greater Caribbean. The principal
areas of focus are trade, transport, sustainable tourism and
natural disasters.
The Secretariat
comprises five (5) Special Committees: Trade Development and
External Economic Relations; Sustainable Tourism; Transport;
Natural Disasters; and Budget and Administration. There is also
a Council of National Representatives of the Special Fund
responsible for overseeing resource mobilization efforts and
project development.
As an administrative
umbrella organization, the ACS may prove to be an effective
coordinator of regional integration. Currently, CARICOM, the
region's largest and oldest integration scheme, is the most
prominent member of the ACS, although other trading blocks
within the purview of the Association include CACM and G-3.
Further, non-integrated countries such as Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, and Panama also belong to the Association.
The fact that
important trading groups along with non-integrated states make
up the ACS may provide an opportunity for the Association to
become a capable entity within the Caribbean; however, it will
first need to prove it is capable of functioning as an efficient
and effective organization, which may be difficult given the
socio-economic and geographic diversity of the member countries.
Members:
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua,
Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The
Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela. These
States have the right to participate in the discussions and vote
at the meetings of the Council of Ministers and Special
Committees of the Association.
Associate Members:
Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands,
Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Turk and Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin
Islands, France (Guadeloupe, Guiane, and Martinique), Aruba and
Netherlands Antilles (Curacao and Bonaire). Associate members
have the right to participate in the discussions and to vote at
meetings of the Council of Ministers and Special Committees on
matters that have a direct impact on them.
For additional
information on the ACS, please visit their website at
www.acs-aec.org.
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