OECS and Caribaea Initiative Partner to Strengthen Biodiversity Conservation and Research

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribaea Initiative have formalised a new partnership to strengthen biodiversity research, conservation, education and scientific capacity across the Eastern Caribbean.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which came into effect on August 27, 2026, establishes a framework through which the OECS will collaborate with the Caribaea Initiative to advance research, education and conservation efforts in biodiversity and wildlife management across OECS Member States. The agreement was signed by Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, and Dr. Nicole Herbert, President of the Caribaea Initiative.

Biodiversity is of critical importance to OECS Member States, underpinning healthy ecosystems and supporting livelihoods and sustainable development across the region. At the same time, the region's natural resources face increasing pressures, reinforcing the need for sustained investment in conservation, scientific research and stronger environmental management.

The agreement represents another step in the OECS' continuing efforts to conserve the region's biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of its ecosystems. Through regional programmes, partnerships and policy initiatives, the OECS continues to advance collective action to safeguard Member States’ natural heritage for present and future generations.

Under the MoU, the OECS and the Caribaea Initiative will collaborate on scientific studies of native and alien species, ecosystems, and habitats of regional importance, with research findings that could inform conservation and policy decisions in Member States.

The partnership will also support capacity building and education, including training programmes and scholarships, while strengthening tertiary and vocational education in conservation biology and environmental management. Public education and community engagement will form another important component, with both organisations seeking to raise awareness and encourage community-led stewardship of biodiversity.

Other areas of cooperation include providing scientific and technical support for evidence-based environmental policies; integrating biodiversity protection with climate change adaptation and ecosystem resilience; strengthening regional biodiversity data systems; and increasing scientific publications produced by Caribbean-based and affiliated researchers.

The collaboration builds on the complementary mandates of the two entities. The OECS promotes regional integration and functional cooperation among its twelve Member States, including cooperation in environmental sustainability, education and research for sustainable development, while the Caribaea Initiative is a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing biodiversity research and conservation across the Caribbean.

The MoU will remain in effect for an initial period of two years and may be renewed by mutual agreement. Specific activities arising from the partnership will be developed through separate cooperation agreements or other implementing arrangements between the organisations.

About the Caribaea Initiative

Caribaea Initiative is the only international organisation dedicated to the scientific study and conservation of Caribbean biodiversity. Beyond its intrinsic value, biodiversity is key to a number of ecosystem services required by significant economic sectors, including agriculture and tourism.

In the Caribbean islands, like elsewhere, we consider that the development and promotion of best practices for biodiversity management must be founded on scientific expertise. For this reason, we are working to encourage the emergence of a new generation of Caribbean scientists, organised as a network of autonomous experts. These experts will be capable of producing the scientific knowledge necessary to develop strategies for biodiversity management in line with the political, cultural and economic context of the Caribbean islands.