On the afternoon of September 5, June Soomer, secretary general of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS-AEC), met with Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.
The meeting, which took place at the Foreign Ministry, is part of a program of activities being undertaken by Soomer during her official visit to the island, which began September 4.
The regional official has held the position of ACS-AEC Secretary General since August 1, 2016, following her appointment during the organization’s 7th Summit, held in Havana last June 2-4. Soomer, who was nominated by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) is the first woman to hold the position since the bloc’s founding in 1994.
The diplomat from Saint Lucia previously worked at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, and served as her country’s representative to Caricom and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Cuba is currently a member state of the ACS-AEC which aims to strengthen cooperation and regional integration to establish a broad trade network within the area.
The organization also seeks to promote sustainable development and preserve the Caribbean Sea, common heritage of all the peoples of the region. The ACS-AEC headquarters are based in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
This is Soomer’s first working visit to Havana as ACS-AEC Secretary General.
(Juventudrebelde)
