Caribbean Summit agrees to unite efforts against sargasso

Guatemala City.- The Dominican Republic achieved the unanimous acclamation of all the countries that make up the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) to confront Sargasso as a regional emergency by virtue of the threat it represents for the development of the affected countries, and advocated for the unification of the region to address the great common challenges, this during the IX Summit of Heads of State and/or Government of this organization held in Guatemala.

At this summit, member states referred to this and other issues in the Antigua Declaration approved by the delegations present, in which Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez participated on behalf of President Luis Abinader.

“The proliferation of sargassum represents a present threat to the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people in the Greater Caribbean; it sickens and kills the fish that communities depend on for food; it obstructs the passage of small and large boats; it dirties and overwhelms our beaches, the main attraction of Caribbean tourism, and with the beaches the direct tourism industry and the small industries that benefit from it indirectly. Its simple bad odor and noxious gases reduce the quality of life and potentially affect the health of those who are in its presence,” said the Foreign Minister during his speech at this conclave held in Guatemala.

A note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that Foreign Minister Alvarez called the attention of those present to the rising sea levels that deepen vulnerabilities and affect the resilience capacity of the Greater Caribbean, in that it brings as a consequence the contamination of drinking water, the decrease of agricultural production capacities, the increase of floods that may be generated on the coast and the inundation of most of the islands due to the receding coasts.

“Added to this are the foreseeable demographic problems due to migration of the population affected by this phenomenon and the disappearance of Caribbean beaches, one of the main tourist attractions we share as a region,” he added.

While participating in this conclave, the diplomat also stressed that in view of the economic, political, social, and cultural threats that arise in the current context, multilateralism is of paramount importance, since outside international forums, the possibilities of effective advocacy are reduced.

“In order to face the global challenges of the 21st century, it is necessary to reform and strengthen the structures and policies that emanate from these institutions (…) The international system must evolve towards a more horizontal and agile order. This implies greater participation of developing countries in decision-making, a new global financial architecture that does not penalize middle-income countries, and greater flexibility in the way global problems are addressed”.
Roberto Álvarez, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Roberto Alvarez
Minister of Foreign Affairs

During his participation in the IX Summit of Heads of State and/or Government of the ACS, Alvarez was accompanied by Vice Minister Hugo Francisco Rivera; the Director of Trade Integration, Carmen Elena Ibarra; and the Dominican Ambassador to Guatemala, Sara Paulino.