MEXICO TO HEAD THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STATES IN 2013

• The eighteenth meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Association of Caribbean States was held today in Panama.

• The Mexican delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Jose Antonio Meade Kuribreña.

The Foreign Ministers of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) met yesterday and today in Panama City at the association’s 18th ordinary meeting. Foreign Secretary Jose Antonio Meade headed the Mexican delegation. At the meeting’s end, Mexico took over the presidency of the ACS Council of Ministers for 2013.

Foreign Secretary Jose Antonio Meade met with the Foreign Ministers and Deputy Ministers who participated in the meeting, at which time he renewed Mexico’s commitment to the Greater Caribbean region. He stressed the high priority Mexico gives to the region because of the close historical ties and because it is Mexico’s third border.

He said that the Caribbean Sea is not just a geographical circumstance that brings together the countries of the Association, but is part of their shared identity and a key resource for the development of our nations. He stressed the importance of using the Caribbean Sea sustainably so that future generations can also benefit. He also noted the potential of the region, taken as a whole, in the global markets and supply chains and emphasized the importance of the ACS regarding trade, transportation, tourism and cooperation.

The Association of Caribbean States has 25 members and brings together the countries of the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. It was created in 1994 at Mexico’s initiative. Its priorities are: trade within and outside of the region; sustainable tourism; transportation; disaster risk reduction and the sustainable use of the Caribbean Sea.