BVI Backs Acs Regional Renewal
The British Virgin Islands has reaffirmed its support for renewed regional cooperation after Special Envoy E. Benito Wheatley, the VI’s Ambassador to the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), attended the ACS Ministerial Council’s 31st Ordinary Meeting virtually on June 21, 2026. Wheatley highlighted practical benefits for the BVI from a refocused ACS agenda on tourism, trade, shipping, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and capacity building.
The British Virgin Islands has expressed full support for the Association of Caribbean States’ (ACS) recent push to strengthen regional cooperation, following the 31st Ordinary Meeting of the ACS Ministerial Council held in Panama City, Panama on June 21, 2026. Benito Wheatley, who serves as the BVI’s Ambassador to the ACS, attended the meeting virtually and said the territory has been active in the ACS renewal process over the past two years. "The BVI has played an active role in the renewal of the ACS over the past two years.
The collective efforts of the Governments of the Greater Caribbean have repositioned the organisation to be more effective in regional cooperation. The shift in focus to concrete projects involving tourism, trade, shipping, climate change, disaster risk reduction, training and capacity building are positive steps from which the BVI is already benefitting," Wheatley said.
Wheatley also commended the work of ACS Secretary General H.E. Ambassador Noemi Espinoza Madrid and the leadership of the Government of Panama for the successful meeting. The VI welcomed the broader renewal of the ACS during the session, which included reaffirmations of commitment to regional cooperation and approval of several forward-looking measures.
Among outcomes of the meeting, participating governments emphasised the importance of the ACS Strategic Plan to 2035, approved an Action Plan for Haiti aimed at targeted support, and established 24 July as the International Day of the Greater Caribbean. The ACS, created in 1994, brings together 25 Member States and 10 Associate Members to promote consultation, cooperation and concerted action across the Greater Caribbean.
For BVI residents, closer ACS cooperation could yield tangible benefits. Focused projects in tourism and trade may open new markets and joint marketing opportunities for the territory’s tourism sector. Priorities on shipping and disaster risk reduction are particularly relevant to the BVI’s economy and its vulnerability to hurricanes and sea-level rise, offering prospects for coordinated emergency response planning, shared training, and access to technical assistance or regional funding mechanisms.
The BVI’s continued engagement with the ACS signals an ongoing commitment to regional partnerships that support resilience, economic recovery and capacity building. Government officials say they will continue to monitor ACS initiatives and seek opportunities that directly benefit the territory’s communities and industries.
Primary source: VINO