PARAMARIBO, Suriname, (CMC) — Caribbean Community (Caricom) foreign affairs ministers began a two-day meeting in Suriname on Wednesday, underscoring the need for unity to deal with a changing global environment.

Suriname’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melvin Bouva, the incoming chair of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) told the opening ceremony that the deliberations should further allow for the region to be “united in purpose and guided by our shared aspirations.”

“Suriname assumes the COFCOR chair during a very tumultuous time within the global arena. We equally meet at a critical moment for our nations and the wider region as we intensify our focus on sustainable resource management and energy transition sectors in which Suriname continues to play an essential role.”