CASTRIES, St. Lucia – The Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr. Didacus Jules, says the French Caribbean territories are not on the margins of the regional integration story, but are active players and leaders.
OECS Director General, Dr. Didacus Jules in discussions with French legislators (Photo courtesy OECS Commission)Jules, speaking during a virtual meeting with the Delegation of the French Senate for Overseas Territories, said the French territories bring resources, technical expertise, and innovative practices that enrich the sub-regional grouping and strengthen cooperation across the Eastern Caribbean.
The discussions with the Delegation of the French Senate for Overseas Territories, was hosted from the Office of the French Ambassador in St. Lucia and the discussions provided an opportunity for the Senate Committee to gain a better understanding of the engagement of the French territories in the regional integration movement and the cultural and geographic importance of their engagement with their neighboring countries.
Jules recalled that the Eastern Caribbean has built a unique model of cooperation, set out in the Revised Treaty of Basseterre and the Protocol of the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union (ECCU).
He said that that integration is not an abstract ambition but a lived reality for OECS citizens, illustrated by the free movement of people, a single economic space, and shared institutions such as the Eastern Caribbean Central Ban (ECCB).
Jules said that this is a practical demonstration of how small states can confront global challenges more effectively when working together.
“When we talk about regional cooperation in the Eastern Caribbean, it really comes down to something simple but powerful: small states realizing that by pooling our efforts, we can achieve far more together than we could ever do alone.”
The Director General said that Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Saint Martin also play a decisive role in this process and that their contributions extend beyond participation as their involvement has amplified the reach of regional integration and introduced new dynamism to OECS cooperation.
“The French Caribbean territories are not on the margins of our integration story, they are active players and leaders,” Jules said, recognizing Guadeloupe’s chairmanship of the OECS Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management Committee (BEMC) “providing direction on conservation priorities across the region”, and welcomed Martinique’s assumption of that leadership role in 2026, ensuring continuity in regional environmental priorities.
During the discussions, environmental resilience was highlighted as a shared priority between France and the OECS, with Jules citing collaborative projects such as REMAR (Resilient Ecosystems through Mangrove Restoration), a Euro 5.5 million (ne Euro =US$1.29 cents) project to restore mangrove ecosystems across OECS member states, supported by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Global Environment Facility, as examples of how partnerships can produce real results.
“What makes this project special is its strong collaboration with our French members, who bring expertise, local site managers, and best practices that can be shared across the wider OECS.”
The Director General concluded the meeting by reminding that integration is ultimately about improving lives across the region.
“At the heart of all of this, our work is really about people, ensuring that the citizens of the Eastern Caribbean feel the benefits of integration in their daily lives, whether through greater opportunity, stronger social services, or more protection against the climate crisis, he said.
An OECS statement Monday said that the meeting with the Delegation of the French Senate for Overseas Territories, “marked another step in deepening the relations between the OECS and France, reinforcing cooperation, addressing shared challenges, and delivering tangible benefits for the people of the Caribbean”.
