On Wednesday January 15th 2025, the Honourable Minister met with Her Excellency, Ambassador Noemi Espinoza Madrid of Honduras in her capacity as the newly appointed Secretary-General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS). Ambassador Madrid paid a courtesy call to Minister Browne following the presentation of credentials to Her Excellency Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo O.R.T.T., President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
The meeting began promptly at 12:30pm following the exchange of greetings. The Secretary-General expressed her delight in moving Trinidad and Tobago and was keen to get started in her work at the ACS.
The Honourable Minister welcomed the Secretary General to Trinidad and Tobago and congratulated her on her appointment to lead the ACS Secretariat. He expressed his eagerness to work together with her office, as he has done in the past, to ensure that she settles into her role as Secretary-General swiftly.
Minister Browne noted that 2025 is a transitional year for many states in the CARICOM region and the coming year was important to establish plans for the ACS and its Member States for the remainder of the decade.
The Secretary-General agreed with the Honourable Minister’s statement and expressed her willingness to ensure that the Member States of the CARICOM felt represented by the ACS and looked to Trinidad and Tobago for leadership in the projects and meetings that were planned for 2025. She also noted that the upcoming Intersessional Meeting of the Ministerial Council next week and the 10th Summit of the ACS would be critically important to planning the work of the organization during her term. Minister Browne reiterated Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to the ACS as Host Country to the ACS Secretariat and pledged to continuing to assist the Secretariat in fulfilling its mandate.
The Honourable Minister and the Secretary-General concluded the meeting at 1:15 p.m., agreeing to work closely together to ensure the prosperity and resiliency of the Greater Caribbean Region.
Ambassador Madrid assumed the leadership of the Secretariat of the ACS on December 30th 2024, following a handover ceremony on December 19th 2024, where the Honourable Minister delivered remarks.
