Cuba successfully concluded its administration today as the head of the pro tempore presidency of the Association of Caribbean States (AEC), said today Deputy Foreign Minister Rogelio Sierra.
At the end of the XXII Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the bloc, Sierra said that the island had an intense activity, aimed at revitalizing the operation of the Association, fulfilling the mandate it received last year at the Havana Summit.
He said that under the Cuban presidency progress was made in promoting management and implementation of programs aimed at addressing the common challenges of the nations of the area, such as the effects of climate change and natural disasters.
Cuba has promoted regional cooperation based on geographical proximity and the social, political and economic ties between the Caribbean countries, said the Deputy Minister.
To this end, it hosted the First ACS Cooperation Meeting, held on March 8, which was attended by 193 representatives of member countries, partners, observers and regional and international organizations, and financial institutions in the world, he said.
He pointed out that one of the virtues of the development projects approved on this occasion and others that are promoted or encouraged are that they are open to all member countries, without exception, aiming at confronting and solving problems that are crucial for the region and for the benefit for small island nations in particular.
He reported that the Council decided to extend for another year the mandate of the working group set up to promote the revitalization of the ACS.
The ministerial meeting also approved, on the proposal of the secretary general of the organization, June Soomer, a resolution of mourning for the physical disappearance of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro.
Another positive outcome of the meeting was the election of three nations as observers, which have a proactive look at the Caribbean: Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Palestine, Sierra said.
At the meeting Venezuela was elected head of the board until 2018, accompanied by the vice presidency for Guatemala and Cuba, and Santa Lucia as rapporteur.
Before concluding, Sierra recalled that the Fifth CARICOM-Cuba Meeting will be held in Havana tomorrow to reinforce and expand bilateral ties that allow member countries, united in diversity, to face the great challenges imposed by regional and international reality.