Last Thursday, the French and Dutch authorities officially signed the joint strategy of priority 5 du Interreg Caribbean programmededicated to strengthening cooperation between Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten.
A step described as historic by the participants, in the presence of Prefect Cyrille Le Vély, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Luc Mercelina and Alain Richardson, First Vice-President of the Collectivity, representing President Louis Mussington, who was absent for health reasons.
In a speech deeply rooted in the island’s history, the prefect recalled that “we have been saying hello to each other for almost four centuries,” evoking the continuity of the Treaty of Concordia of 1748 and natural complementarity between the two parts of the islandThis joint strategy responds to a concrete necessity: “We cannot address the issues of water, energy, waste or climate crisis preparedness on one side without addressing them on the other.”
Prime Minister Luc Mercelina, for his part, insisted on the urgency of Caribbean unity in the face of global challenges“We are small islands. Only by working together can we overcome the obstacles,” he said, calling for “showing the world that we are awake and capable of collaboration.” Alain Richardson emphasized that this cooperation “is not a fantasy, but a duty,” and the crucial role of the Interreg program and European support in transforming this shared vision into concrete and sustainable projects for the benefit of the people of both territories.
As for European CommissionPierre-Emmanuel Leclerc (Director General of REGIO) welcomed this first territorial strategy signed between the two parts of the island: “We need to move quickly (…) for the benefit of the territories and citizens.” Patrick Sellin of Interreg Caribbean/Guadeloupe Region Management Authority: “the dedicated financial resources must be mobilized quickly in a tight schedule with a deadline set for December 31, 2029″ _Vx
Source: Faxinfo https://faxinfo.fr/en/interreg-caraibes-une-signature-historique-pour-une-cooperation-renforcee-entre-saint-martin-et-sint-maarten/
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