March 27, 2026 -- Public-private partnerships and multilateral cooperation remain key to preserving stability, advancing development, and safeguarding the shared values of Member States of the Regional Security System (RSS).
According to RSS Executive Director, Rear Admiral Errington Shurland, the shifting dynamics and geopolitical uncertainty of the current era require strong and enduring partnerships if states are to overcome emerging and increasingly complex challenges.
Rear Admiral Shurland made these remarks during his welcome address at the RSS Council of Ministers Meeting, held on Friday, March 27, 2026, at The Harbor Club in Saint Lucia.
In his address, the RSS head highlighted the organisation’s achievements through collaboration with a range of international and regional partners, including the governments of Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as institutions such as the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, and CARICOM and its subsidiary bodies. He noted that these collaborations demonstrate that the cooperative frameworks already in place serve as “pillars of trust,” enabling states to collectively address existing challenges.
“In an international system that is characterised by shared security concerns, and interconnectedness of criminal organisations across several jurisdictions, international cooperation remains an essential pillar in successfully managing crime and security,” Rear Admiral Shurland stressed.
The RSS Executive Director affirmed that the organisation is prepared to act as a catalyst for multilateralism and will continue expanding partnerships to strengthen domain awareness, enhance competencies and cooperation, address corruption and governance issues, and improve information and intelligence sharing across jurisdictions.
“The RSS’ upcoming work with Global Affairs Canada, the Caribbean Development Bank and the European Union through the Neighbourhood Development International Cooperation Instrument and the EL PACCTO 2.0 programme, demonstrates renewed commitment to multilateral engagement rather than global fragmentation. RSS is also co-sponsoring other initiatives to enhance legislative and procedural frameworks required for effective law enforcement responses to cyber-enabled and cyber-dependent crimes, strengthening comprehensive statistical collection and data sharing systems across criminal justice agencies, and developing a new Strategic Plan and sustainability model. These will be done with the support of the European Union and CDB respectively,” he outlined.
Rear Admiral Shurland also pointed to the RSS’ partnership with the United Kingdom’s One Caribbean Fund and the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, a collaborative effort with the United States, as further evidence of the value of strong partnerships in ensuring the region’s collective security.
Disclaimer
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers
St. Lucia News