ACS strengthens ties with the Red Cross
Port of Spain (August 25, 2010) – The Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla today met with high-level officials of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies from Panama and Trinidad & Tobago, as a follow up to a recent video-conference which discussed further opportunities for collaboration in the area of disaster risk reduction.
The ACS Secretary General, Ambassador Luis Fernando Andrade Falla met with Mr. Xavier Castellanos, Director, Americas Zone, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, with headquarters in Panama. Mr Castellanos was accompanied by Ms Tanya Wood, Head, IFRC Caribbean Regional Representation Office and Mrs Vindra Amar, President, Trinidad & Tobago Red Cross Society. Mr Eduardo González, ACS Director of Transport and Disaster Risk Reduction accompanied the Secretary General.
Discussions focused on further developing the Action Plan between the ACS and the IFRC that works towards raising funds and executing projects to increase disaster risk preparedness and reduce disaster vulnerability for countries in the Greater Caribbean.
The meeting proposed the preparation of a Letter of Understanding under the current Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations, which would further develop the Action Plan under several major themes: disaster simulation; training; port and airport disaster logistics; urban risk; military involvement and disaster risk reduction; climate change; hoteliers’ insurance; tourism and pandemic outbreaks.
Given the importance and relevance of the 18th Meeting of the ACS Special Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction, scheduled for 9-10 September in the Dominican Republic, Mr Castellanos confirmed the attendance of the IFRC.
The Association of Caribbean States is the organization for consultation, cooperation and concerted action in trade, transport, sustainable tourism and natural disasters in the Greater Caribbean. Its Member States are Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Venezuela. Its Associate Members are Aruba, Curacao, (France on behalf of French Guiana, Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin ), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten, (The Netherlands on behalf of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ), Turks and Caicos.