(Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) - On 29 July 2025, CARICOM Deputy Secretary-General, Dr. Armstrong Alexis welcomed His Excellency Nicolas de Lacoste, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of France to CARICOM, for a farewell visit to the Secretariat Headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana.

Ambassador de Lacoste presented his credentials on 28 November 2022 and served as the fifth Plenipotentiary Representative of France accredited to the Community.

The Deputy Secretary-General expressed the Community’s gratitude to the Ambassador for his dedication during his tenure. They discussed matters of mutual importance, including disaster risk management, ocean and biodiversity protection, the situation in Haiti, and ongoing engagement regarding the Associate Membership applications of the French Caribbean Outermost Regions (FCORs).

Dr. Alexis welcomed France’s upcoming establishment of an embassy in Guyana and its recent decision to recognise the State of Palestine. He also emphasised CARICOM’s longstanding concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, most recently articulated in the Statement of Heads of Government following the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference.

During his tenure, Ambassador de Lacoste contributed to advancing Martinique’s accession as an Associate Member of CARICOM and participated in negotiations with French Guiana regarding its application for Associate Membership.

He also advocated for the ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), particularly with France’s hosting of the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.

Ambassador de Lacoste will continue the role as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Suriname.