Bridgetown, Barbados, 3 February 2026 – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with United Nations agencies in Barbados, hosted a group of visiting French Caribbean students for an orientation session on PAHO’s regional work, with a particular focus on the French territories.
Around 30 students and their chaperones from EduCarib Mobility, an organization promoting cultural and educational exchanges between schools in Martinique, Guadeloupe, other French Caribbean islands, and the wider Caribbean, attended the event at the UN House. The session featured presentations and interactive discussions with UN personnel.
The program began with remarks from Mr. Simon Springett, UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, who provided an overview of UN engagements with French Caribbean territories. Ms. Lisbeth Mjos, Development Coordination Officer for the Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (MSDCF), followed with a presentation on the UN’s regional cooperation priorities under the MSDCF.
Representing PAHO, Dr. Frédérique Dorleans, PAHO/WHO Advisor for Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity and focal point for coordination with the French Caribbean Territories, delivered an orientation on PAHO’s history, mandate, values, and ongoing initiatives in the region. She noted that France has been a participating state of PAHO since 1951 and participates in the organization’s governance bodies, and she highlighted key elements of the PAHO/WHO Multi-Country Cooperation Strategy 2026–2031.
Dr. Dorleans emphasized PAHO’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the French Caribbean Territories and recognized the contributions of two key French Caribbean health institutions to regional public health. These include the University Hospital of Martinique Laboratory, a PAHO reference laboratory for antiretroviral resistance against HIV, and the Pasteur Institute in French Guiana, a collaborating centre specializing in antimalarial drug resistance.
The session also highlighted the French Senate’s recent approval of Martinique’s bid to become a CARICOM Associate Member, reflecting growing regional integration and cooperation. PAHO and UN partners underscored the importance of engaging young people to foster greater understanding and collaboration between the French Caribbean and the wider region, recognizing them as the next generation of regional leaders.
