ACP-MEAs

The identification of ministerial leads for negotiations around sustainable development and the environment ensures the amplification of the needs and concerns of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ms. Amrikha Singh, Programme Manager, Sustainable Development at the CARICOM Secretariat said. Last year, in preparation for COP 29 negotiations, the Region identified Ministerial Champions to enhance its representation and coordination. The Champions for key areas of negotiation are: Just Transition: Honourable Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, Minister of Planning and Development, Trinidad and Tobago; Finance and the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG):  Honourable Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Belize; Global Stocktake: Honourable Kerryne James, Minister of Climate Resilience, the Environment, and Renewable Energy, Grenada; Markets: Honourable Dr. Marciano Dasai, Minister of Spatial Planning and Environment, Suriname; and Adaptation: Honourable Cozier Frederick, Minister for the Environment, Rural Modernisation and Kalinago Upliftment, Dominica. Loss and Damage: Senator The Hon. Dr Shantal Munro-Knight, Minister of State for Climate Resilience in the Office of the Prime Minister of Barbados. The Honourable Carlos James, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will provide support. Ms. Singh said the strategy adds political weight to the work done by technical personnel in the year-round negotiations. “It’s a very necessary arrangement and this sort of support is absolutely needed,” she said. Listen: https://vimeo.com/1056043297

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) must remain unified and assertive in advocating for solutions that address the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDs).  Sir Molwyn Joseph, Minister of Health, Wellness and the Environment of Antigua and Barbuda, delivered the charge during remarks at the opening of the virtual Second Annual Ministerial Post-Conference of the Parties (COP) Debriefing, which he chaired on 24 January. Minister Joseph is Chair of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Environment and Sustainable Development. Over 100 delegates attended the half-day debriefing, including 13 Ministers with responsibility for the Environment, senior officials, and representatives of Regional Institutions. It was convened against the backdrop of a very active 2024 on the multilateral front for the Region, with three COPs (UN Conference on Biodiversity (UNCBD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), as well as negotiations on the Plastics Treaty. Minister Joseph indicated that during his Chairmanship of the COTED on the Environment and Sustainable Development, focus will be placed on strategic leadership and regional cohesion. He said the Region’s ability to influence outcomes at the negotiation table relies heavily on timely and strategic ministerial engagement. Political leadership lends weight to the technical groundwork laid by CARICOM negotiators and underscores the urgency of regional priorities, he added. The outcomes from Climate COP29, the biodiversity discussions in Cali, the UNCCD meeting in Riyadh, and the experience at INC5, he said, remind us of the need for coordinated regional efforts. A harmonised approach enhances the Region’s ability to advocate effectively, the Minister pointed out and added that Member States must continue to foster collaboration and ensure that the Region’s collective voice is amplified. “With key meetings on the horizon, it is crucial that we remain not only proactive, but also agile and responsive in our approach. We must continuously assess progress, identify emerging challenges, and adjust our strategies accordingly. Our ability to adapt and engage strategically will be critical in securing favourable outcomes that align with our regional priorities and development goals,” the Chair said. Dr. Wendell Samuel, Senior Economic Advisor to the Secretary-General, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Assistant Secretary-General (Ag.) of the Directorate of Economic Integration, Innovation and Development, stressed that enhanced coordination is needed both at the national and regional levels to address the increasing complexity and multidisciplinary nature of the negotiations.  He cautioned that while the world seems to be increasingly looking within their national borders, CARICOM has no choice but to look to each other since our very survival depends on it. 

As one of the intergovernmental organisation signatories to the OCM MOU, the CARICOM Secretariat, is pleased to be part of this ambitious governance arrangement to advance sustainable use and conservation of shared marine resources in the wider Caribbean. The Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) for the Wider Caribbean has been officially activated and will commence its activities this year, marking a significant achievement in advancing the sustainable management of marine resources in the region. Designed to facilitate enhanced collaboration among countries, inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), and other ocean stakeholders, the OCM is aimed at promoting well-coordinated efforts to restore and preserve the region’s valuable marine ecosystems. By fostering synergies and improving efficiency, it aims to address critical environmental challenges while unlocking the economic, environmental, and social benefits of a healthy ocean. On 23 January 2025, the ProCaribePlus Project announced the activation of the OCM. The ProCaribePlus Project is a regional initiative for protecting and restoring the ocean’s natural capital, building resilience and supporting region-wide investments for sustainable, blue, socio-economic development in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems (CLME+ region). Seventeen states and nine Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) have now signed the ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Enabling the Creation of a Coordination Mechanism to Support Integrated Ocean Governance in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems’. As one of the intergovernmental organisation signatories to the OCM MOU, the CARICOM Secretariat, is pleased to be part of this ambitious governance arrangement to advance sustainable use and conservation of shared marine resources in the wider Caribbean. For over two decades, the Region has been collaborating with other countries, intergovernmental organisations and civil society organisations, as part of the Caribbean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (CLME) approach to ocean management. The coordination mechanism is the latest evolution in this process. It creates a governance platform where countries of the wider Caribbean influence coordinated efforts and strategic impacts in sustainable Caribbean Sea management.   Within CARICOM, efforts are also underway to strengthen ocean governance and management through the articulation of a regional sustainable ocean management policy to harmonise blue pathways to achieving the objectives of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The development and implementation of this policy will naturally synergise with the strategic actions of the wider Caribbean’s large marine ecosystem approach, strengthening the connections of national, subregional and regional management of our shared natural resources in the marine environment. (Image via Alexander Girvan| Carriacou, Grenada Please read the PROCARIBE+ Press release below: The Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) for the Wider Caribbean has been officially activated and will commence its activities this year, marking a significant achievement in advancing the sustainable management of marine resources in the region. With the signature of the Government of the Bahamas on 19 December 2024 and of the IOC of UNESCO on 14 January 2025, a total of 17 States and 9 Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) have now signed the “Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Enabling the Creation of a Coordination Mechanism to Support Integrated Ocean Governance in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems.” Mr. Creswell Sturrup, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister, The Bahamas The Hon. Senator, Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment, St. Kitts and Nevis The Hon. Julian Defoe, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture,Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy with specific responsibility for Fisheries and the Blue Economy| Ryan Anselm, Permanent Secretary, MInistry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, Dominica The OCM is designed to facilitate enhanced collaboration among countries, IGOs, and other ocean stakeholders, promoting well-coordinated efforts to restore and preserve the region’s valuable marine ecosystems. By fostering synergies and improving efficiency, it aims to address critical environmental challenges while unlocking the economic, environmental, and social benefits of a healthy ocean. Key initiatives of the OCM include the development of a holistic Ocean Action Programme, the launch of a periodic reporting mechanism on the “State of the Marine Environment and Associated Economies”, and supporting the strengthening of climate-resilient ocean-based economies – the latter being of key importance for the region’s many Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Globally, there is growing recognition of the need for enhanced coordination among the many organizations and institutions dealing with marine resources. The Wider Caribbean region has positioned itself as a leader by pioneering this unique mechanism. With additional memberships expected in 2025, the aim is that the OCM will ultimately bring together 11 Intergovernmental Organizations – including several UN Agencies – as well as the governments of the 32 States and Territories from the region. Lorna Inniss, Head, Intergovernmental Oceonographic Commission (IOC)-UNESCO Regional Secretariat for IOCARIBE| Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary, IOC-UNESCO and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO Honourable E.P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda, emphasized: “The Ministry and by extension the Government remain committed to the goal of fostering partnerships and coordination to achieve and safeguard healthy marine and coastal ecosystems. These ecosystems are key drivers for thriving, sustainable and climate-resilient ocean-based economies in the Wider Caribbean Region and hemisphere.” Dr Didacus Jules, Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States “The OECS Commission is thrilled that the Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) officially came into effect, marking a significant milestone in our collective efforts to safeguard the health of the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf marine ecosystems. This achievement reflects the tireless work and collaboration of intergovernmental organizations and countries dedicated to sustainable ocean governance. The OCM will undoubtedly strengthen regional cooperation, promote sustainable fisheries, and contribute to the resilience of our coastal and marine environments, ultimately driving the prosperity and well-being of livelihoods and economies. As the first intergovernmental agency to sign the MOU, the OECS is honoured to serve as the Convener of the inaugural Executive Group Meeting and looks forward to providing initial leadership on this important initiative.” Felicia Cruz, Director of Blue Economy at Belize’s Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, upon the of the OCM MoU indicated: “This endorsement underscores Belize’s Read more…