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Address by the Director General of the OECS on the Occasion of the Accession of Saint Martin to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
OECS Director General Official Remarks
Anse Marcel, Saint Martin
March 19, 2025
Today, history and geography have conspired to bring us to a special moment - the formal accession of Saint Martin into the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). On behalf of the OECS family, I extend our warmest congratulations and sincere welcome to the people and government of Saint Martin. Your inclusion now brings us to a deeper understanding of the oneness of our space, proving once again that, despite the varied political or constitutional arrangements of our territories, the Caribbean Sea that unites us is stronger than any lines drawn by history.
1. The Significance of This Moment
For over four decades, the OECS has been a pioneering model of regional integration - one that recognizes the necessity of coming together to confront our shared challenges. Initially formed by a group of newly independent and non-independent Anglophone territories, this family has steadily grown. When Martinique joined us in 2015 and then Guadeloupe followed in 2019, we shattered the old notion that this body should remain exclusively Anglophone. We acknowledged the deeper reality that our shared waters, our intertwined cultures, and our collective aspirations for a prosperous and resilient future transcend language or colonial legacy.
Saint Martin’s accession is another milestone in this unfolding story of the Eastern Caribbean. You join a community that enthusiastically embraces the French, English, and Kweyol voices that echo across these islands. Over the years, we have seen with Martinique and Guadeloupe that greater harmony in health, education, culture, trade, and environmental protection flows naturally when we open our arms to one another, mindful of the differences that shape us, yet rooted in the common Caribbean identity that calls us to unity.
2. Lessons from Martinique and Guadeloupe
When Martinique took the historic step to join the OECS, we witnessed how quickly that territory integrated into key regional initiatives, ranging from joint tourism marketing to health sector cooperation. Today, Martinique’s participation in OECS technical committees has produced valuable exchanges in healthcare delivery, emergency preparedness, cultural festivals, and even teacher-training collaborations. Shortly thereafter, Guadeloupe’s own accession amplified these synergies - reaffirming that our region is more vibrant, more whole, when no part of our archipelago remains isolated.
The practical experiences of Martinique and Guadeloupe as Associate Members have taught us at least three important lessons:
- Bold Steps Lead to Tangible Gains: Despite the complexities that come with bridging different constitutional frameworks, each step they took - coordinating on environmental projects, aligning on tourism protocols, pooling technical expertise - delivered returns both for the French territories and their OECS partners.
- Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Strengthens Us: The arrival of French-speaking territories into what was once viewed as an “Anglophone union” has profoundly enriched the fabric of our integration. Exchanges of language instructors, joint cultural festivals, and the cross-pollination of creative industries have opened new horizons for all members.
- Shared Development Pathways: Environmental vulnerabilities, tourism dependence, the imperative of sustainable economic growth, and the cultural imperative to connect with our neighbors - these are issues that do not stop at maritime borders. Guadeloupe’s and Martinique’s involvement in initiatives such as climate change adaptation strategies, renewable energy innovations, and integrated transportation projects exemplify the advantages of acting together rather than alone.
Saint Martin now stands poised to write its own chapter in this evolving narrative. Your experiences - whether in health services, tourism, bilingual education, or advanced digital solutions - will enrich the entire OECS, just as you will benefit from a wider circle of partners committed to standing with you in times of difficulty and celebrating your achievements in times of success.
3. Contextualizing Our VUCA World
We gather at a time when global conditions are often summarized by the term “VUCA”: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. In practical terms, this means:
- Volatility in financial markets, supply chains, and commodity prices.
- Uncertainty in global health, still echoing from the challenges of pandemics, emerging diseases, and new public health threats.
- Complexity in the sphere of international relations—heightened geopolitical tensions and shifting alliances that can destabilize entire regions.
- Ambiguity in climate impacts, technological disruption, and the evolving nature of work.
As small-island and low-lying coastal states, we know all too well what volatility can feel like—one catastrophic storm can wipe out years of development gains. We know the frustration of uncertainty, from the unpredictability of hurricanes to the instability of some supply chains on which we rely for food, fuel, and tourism. The complexities of the modern global order demand that we be agile and strategic, forging alliances that safeguard our interests. And in the face of ambiguity - where change is constant and the future is not always clear - our best defence is the resilience born of shared purpose.
Yet, if the Eastern Caribbean has shown anything over the decades, it is that a strong, united regional community can turn these challenges into opportunities. The reason is simple: we are each other’s first responders; we are each other’s biggest champions. When natural disasters strike or markets shift, we respond more effectively when we act in concert. In a time of swirling global unpredictability, we stand firm knowing we have built a region-wide support system that holds the welfare of all its members at heart.
4. The Imperative of Regional Unity in a Dangerous World
Ladies and Gentlemen, our world has, in many ways, become more dangerous. Climate change is no longer a distant threat but an immediate reality. Ocean temperatures are rising, leading to more intense hurricanes. Rising sea levels threaten to nibble away at our coastlines, and the risk of storm surges can devastate our communities and infrastructure. Beyond these environmental dangers, global crises - such as economic downturns, pandemics, or potential conflicts - test the resilience of small islands like ours.
But the single greatest antidote to such uncertainty is regional solidarity. This solidarity is not an abstract ideal; it manifests in everyday, practical ways:
- Disaster Preparedness and Response: Through the OECS, Saint Martin will gain immediate access to collaborative disaster planning, real-time sharing of meteorological data, and pooled emergency services. A hurricane does not ask whether a territory is politically independent, a British Overseas Territory, a French Collectivity, or something else. It strikes us all the same. We are safer when we pool our resources to prepare and respond.
- Collective Advocacy: A united OECS has a larger voice in global negotiations - whether on climate finance, trade, or public health. As we speak with a single voice, the concerns of small islands echo more powerfully in the halls of international institutions, from Brussels to New York to Geneva.
- Cultural Cohesion and Mutual Understanding: Our cultural tapestry is unparalleled. From soca to zouk, from Kweyol to English to French, we embody a diversity that is the envy of many regions. However, this cultural mosaic gains real potency only when it remains connected. Saint Martin’s membership strengthens these cultural bridges, ensuring that we collectively celebrate the intangible heritage that shapes our identities while forging new paths for collaboration in education, language development, sports, and the arts.
5. Specific Opportunities for Saint Martin
Saint Martin brings a unique set of assets to the OECS: a well-regarded tourism brand, advanced health services linked to the French system, bilingual or even trilingual communities, and established ties to the European Union. These attributes will not only benefit Saint Martin - by opening new trade avenues or collaborative projects - but will also fortify the OECS as a whole.
- Economic Integration and Trade: While Associate Membership does not automatically place Saint Martin within the OECS Economic Union’s full scope, it nonetheless creates pathways for simpler trade procedures. Local businesses in Saint Martin can explore direct linkages with neighboring islands, expanding market access for artisanal products, agricultural produce, and tourism offerings.
- Joint Tourism Marketing: As we have already seen with Martinique and Guadeloupe, co-marketing multi-destination travel experiences can offer visitors a diverse itinerary - visiting both French and Anglophone islands in one sweep. Saint Martin’s strategic location and status as a major Caribbean hub can become a magnet for cruise liners and yachts seeking multi-island circuits, thus boosting arrivals for its OECS neighbors, and vice versa.
- Education & Cultural Exchange: Building on the experiences of Martinique and Guadeloupe, Saint Martin can deepen student and teacher exchange programs, collaborate on curriculum development, and enhance language proficiency throughout the region. The simpler movement of researchers, artists, and cultural practitioners fosters greater mutual understanding and unleashes creative energies that cross borders.
- Health Care Collaboration: Saint Martin can share its expertise in healthcare administration, while also benefiting from the collective support of the OECS in disease surveillance, procurement of medical supplies, and specialized training. We have seen in previous crises how crucial it is for OECS Members to align health protocols and coordinate responses rapidly and effectively.
- Environmental Stewardship and Climate Action: As climate change intensifies, Saint Martin can plug into OECS-wide resilience-building projects. Whether through collective marine conservation, innovative energy initiatives, or sargassum management, a united effort provides the knowledge and resources to confront escalating environmental threats.
- Technology and Innovation: From digital transformation to cybersecurity, the OECS is spearheading regional efforts to keep pace in a rapidly changing world. Saint Martin’s inclusion broadens that knowledge base, offering fresh ideas and solutions - while also tapping into the Commission’s frameworks for capacity-building across the digital sphere.
6. Building Our Archipelagic Future
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the OECS is known for translating vision into tangible action. As of today, Saint Martin is invited to take its rightful seat at the table and engage in the committees, councils, and dialogues that shape our region’s agenda. Let us seize this opportunity:
- To our new colleagues from Saint Martin: Participate vigorously in the ongoing dialogues on health, climate resilience, education, trade, and culture. Propose pilot projects that harness the strengths of your island and highlight them across the region. Your ideas and perspectives enrich our debates and guide our collective progress.
- To our longtime Member States: Let us warmly embrace Saint Martin in the same spirit we welcomed Martinique and Guadeloupe. Reach out with proposals for collaboration. Extend technical assistance where needed. Incorporate Saint Martin into multi-island tourism strategies, environmental research projects, and digital initiatives.
- To our development partners: We call upon you to support and leverage the deeper integration now unfolding. Strengthened by the success of Martinique and Guadeloupe’s membership, the OECS is evolving into a formidable platform that bridges both linguistic and geopolitical spheres. We stand ready to scale up innovation, knowledge transfer, and sustainable development in ways that can serve as a global best practice.
7. Conclusion
In the grand narrative of Caribbean civilization, each new gathering place - each bridging moment - becomes the story that future generations will recall with pride. As Derek Walcott once wrote, even when a vase is broken, “the love that reassembles the fragments is stronger than that love which took its symmetry for granted when it was whole.” Today, we reaffirm our collective commitment to reassembling the long-fragmented pieces of our Caribbean archipelago, forging something stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient than ever before.
Saint Martin’s accession to the OECS is a tribute to the undeniable power of our geography - of that shared sea which binds us. It is a testament to the irrepressible Caribbean identity that transcends old colonial boundaries. And it is a bold statement that in a VUCA world - volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous - our unity stands as the surest path to secure the future we desire.
On behalf of the OECS Commission and the entire family of Member States, I offer a warm embrace to Saint Martin. We celebrate your arrival and pledge to walk with you every step of the way as we continue to deepen and widen this invaluable union.
May our combined efforts become an enduring beacon of Caribbean resilience, an example of how small states, together, can stand tall in a dangerous and rapidly shifting world. Let us hold fast to this sense of shared purpose, celebrating our common heritage even as we boldly chart new pathways for growth, peace, and prosperity.
Thank you. Mèsi. Merci beaucoup.
May the spirit of cooperation guide our steps and may our unity shine through for the benefit of generations to come.