In the face of growing global interdependence, the Greater Caribbean region faces complex challenges that demand collective, strategic, and urgent responses. Climate change strikes with particular force at small island states and continental coastlines; food insecurity and natural disasters threaten the well-being of millions; meanwhile, social inequalities, forced migration, and economic vulnerability continue to deepen fragmentation. In this context, the need to move toward greater regional integration becomes not only a political aspiration but a vital necessity.

The region’s historical fragmentation—shaped by its multiple languages, political systems, and levels of economic development—has hindered the construction of a shared project. However, the common challenges—such as adapting to climate change, managing sustainable tourism, combating drug trafficking, and boosting intra-regional trade—demand more robust, flexible, and operational multilateral spaces.

It is precisely in this context that the Tenth Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) is taking place, a highly significant event that will be held from May 27 to 30 in Cartagena and Montería, under the pro tempore presidency of Colombia. The summit represents a strategic opportunity to rethink the role of the ACS, revitalize its mechanisms, and position it as a key platform for integration in the Greater Caribbean.

The ACS was founded in 1994, also in Cartagena, as a mechanism for consultation, concerted action, and cooperation among the countries and territories that share the Caribbean Sea coastline. Today, headquartered in Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), it includes 25 member states and about a dozen associate members, including Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Central America, the Guianas, and the Caribbean island states. Together, they represent more than 270 million people—a human, cultural, and ecological wealth of incalculable value.

Throughout its three decades of existence, the ACS has demonstrated notable adaptability, flexibility, and a practical approach centered around key thematic areas: trade and investment, tourism, transport, and disaster risk management. It has sought to reconcile diverse interests in a region marked by significant asymmetries, betting on cooperation based on mutual respect and solidarity.

Nevertheless, the world has changed. Global threats—from health crises to geopolitical wars, and the extreme effects of climate change—demand a profound renewal of the ACS’s working agenda. The recent approval of the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan marks a positive step in that direction, while a renewal of leadership is underway with the management of Secretary General Noemí Espinoza Madrid, a career Honduran diplomat with over thirty years of experience.

Among the issues that should be prioritized by the association are institutional strengthening, resolution of budgetary and administrative challenges, and improved accountability. It is also crucial to enhance the visibility of the ACS’s work before regional and international public opinion, more actively involving civil society, academia, and productive sectors.

A proposal that is gaining traction is the alignment of ACS objectives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This integration would allow a more holistic and coherent approach to the Caribbean’s challenges: from inclusive social development and poverty eradication to energy transition, digital transformation, food security, and climate justice. Incorporating the SDGs into the ACS agenda is not only appropriate—it is essential.

The summit’s slogan, “United for Life: Toward a More Sustainable Greater Caribbean,” aptly reflects the integrative vocation the region needs. Amid an unstable international order, marked by great power competition, emerging authoritarianism in several countries, and increasing economic uncertainty, the Greater Caribbean must assert itself as a region of peace, cooperation, and sustainability. This assertion must be translated into concrete commitments and effective actions by governments and all relevant actors.

The Caribbean’s history has been marked by cycles of dependency, foreign intervention, and resistance. From slavery to the fight against colonialism, and through moments of regional cooperation, the region has found its voice and built shared identities. Today, that same history must serve as inspiration to drive a new stage of integration—one that goes beyond political declarations and instead articulates joint actions, strong institutions, and an active regional citizenship.

With its multilateral structure and inclusive approach, the ACS has the potential to become the principal mechanism for political and technical coordination in the Greater Caribbean. But to achieve this, it must expand its legitimacy, modernize its operations, attract strategic investments, and solidify alliances with international organizations, NGOs, and universities.

In conclusion, the Tenth ACS Summit should not be seen as just another event on the regional diplomatic calendar. It is a historic opportunity to deepen Greater Caribbean integration, renew the commitment to sustainable development, and establish a concrete roadmap toward a more equitable, resilient, and united region.

In a scenario of international uncertainty and systemic reconfiguration, integration is no longer an option; it is an urgent necessity. Only through strengthened regional cooperation—respectful of diversity but focused on common goals—will it be possible to build a truly sovereign, democratic, and sustainable Greater Caribbean.

_{*Machine translation proofread by Janaína da Silva.}