AGP Executive Report

Regional Mourning: CARICOM and regional partners mourned the death of Gabriel Serville, President of the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana, who died Sept. 30 at Cayenne University Hospital; Serville helped push French Guiana into CARICOM as an Associate Member on July 7, 2026. Aviation & Connectivity: Guyana and France renewed an Air Services Agreement, with officials pointing to expanded links including a proposed Cayenne service by Trans-Guyana Airways. Spaceport Push in Kourou: PLD Space and CNES signed a deal to assess adding a second launch pad at the ELM-Diamant complex to boost MIURA 5/9 launch capacity at the Guiana Space Centre. Digital Infrastructure for the Region: EllaLink advanced its Caribbean Gateway into the development phase, targeting a Cayenne–Martinique/Guadeloupe trunk with a western leg to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, aiming for service by end-2029. Cross-Border Crime Watch: INTERPOL warned that cocaine profits are increasingly being laundered through illegal gold mining across the Americas, citing coordinated operations involving French Guiana and neighbors. Local Governance (Saint-Martin): The Saint-Martin Executive Council approved European education funding and a €1.49m payment schedule tied to the Computech dispute.

CARICOM Remembers Gabriel Serville: The Caribbean Community mourned the death of Gabriel Serville, President of the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana, who died Sept. 30 at Cayenne University Hospital. CARICOM said Serville pushed for deeper regional integration, including French Guiana becoming an Associate Member on July 7, 2026. Regional Border & Mining Talks: Tribal leaders in French Guiana met in Maripasula to address illegal gold mining, pollution along the Marowijne River, and cross-border coordination with Suriname, with plans for a joint meeting and a revived “River Council.” Spaceport Push in Kourou: PLD Space and CNES signed an agreement to assess adding a second launch pad at the ELM-Diamant complex at the Guiana Space Centre, aiming to boost launch capacity for MIURA vehicles and reduce bottlenecks. Connectivity for the Caribbean Gateway: EllaLink advanced its Caribbean Gateway initiative in Cayenne, moving to the development phase for a carrier-neutral submarine cable linking Cayenne to Martinique/Guadeloupe and onward to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, targeting service by end-2029. Security Warning on Illicit Gold: At an INTERPOL conference in Georgetown, officials warned criminal syndicates are increasingly using illegal gold mining to launder cocaine profits, pointing to coordinated “Guyana Shield” action involving French Guiana and neighbors.

Regional Mourning: CARICOM and regional partners mourned the death of Gabriel Serville, President of the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana, who died Sept. 30 at Cayenne University Hospital; Serville pushed for greater autonomy and helped French Guiana join CARICOM as an Associate Member on July 7, 2026. Cross-Border Security: At the INTERPOL Americas Regional Conference in Georgetown, officials warned that cocaine profits are increasingly being laundered through illegal gold mining, urging faster intelligence sharing across borders; Guyana’s PM Mark Phillips highlighted coordinated operations like “Guyana Shield” involving Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. Border & Environment Talks: Tribal leaders from French Guiana met in Maripasula to address illegal gold mining, pollution and Marowijne River border issues, agreeing to convene with Surinamese counterparts and revive the River Council. Space & Industry for Kourou: PLD Space and CNES signed an agreement to expand launch infrastructure at the Guiana Space Centre, exploring a second pad at ELM-Diamant to boost capacity for MIURA rockets. Digital Connectivity in Cayenne: EllaLink advanced its Caribbean Gateway initiative, moving to the development phase for a Cayenne–Martinique/Guadeloupe trunk with a western leg to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, targeting service by end-2029.

Illegal Mining Crackdown: Guyana’s APNU MP Sharma Solomon is calling for deeper probes into who finances illegal gold mining after an INTERPOL warning that cocaine profits are being laundered through the sector, arguing seizures alone won’t stop organised crime. Regional Security Coordination: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, officials stressed faster cross-border intelligence sharing, citing Operation Guyana Shield as a model where follow-the-money tactics helped drive arrests across Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. CTU Leadership in French Guiana: During CTU ICT Week in Cayenne, St. Kitts and Nevis’ Konris Maynard was elected CTU President, while St. Vincent’s Phillip Jackson was elected Vice-President—signals for regional telecom and digital policy priorities. Caribbean Connectivity Push: EllaLink advanced its Caribbean Gateway initiative from design to development, targeting service by end-2029 with a Cayenne-to-Martinique/Guadeloupe trunk and a western leg to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. Saint-Martin Governance: Saint-Martin’s Executive Council approved EU education funding and a €1.49m payment schedule tied to the Computech dispute, alongside other administrative measures.

Space & Security Tech: ESA and Chinese teams released first ultraviolet views from the European-Chinese Smile mission, capturing a full ring of northern lights around the North Pole and studying auroral substorms—another step for better forecasting of solar and geomagnetic storms. Regional Mobility & Migration Policy: Saint Lucia’s PM Philip J. Pierre says the EU is pressing OECS states with Citizenship By Investment Programmes to end them by 2028 or face loss of Schengen visa-free access, with a June 2027 response window. Caribbean Telecom Leadership in Cayenne: CTU ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana saw St. Vincent and the Grenadines elected CTU Vice-President, while Konris Maynard was elected CTU President—signals of renewed regional coordination on resilience, AI, cybersecurity, and connectivity. Cross-Border Crime & Intelligence Sharing: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, Guyana’s PM Mark Phillips warned that delays in sharing intelligence let criminals exploit borders; INTERPOL highlighted links between cocaine profits and illegal gold mining, citing Operation Guyana Shield. Connectivity Infrastructure for French Guiana: EllaLink launched the EllaLink Caribbean Gateway initiative, a new submarine cable system running from Cayenne to Martinique/Guadeloupe with western branches to Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire, targeting service by end-2029. Public Health Travel Rules: Costa Rica will require a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travelers to eight new destinations starting Oct. 1, including French Guiana.

CTU ICT Week in Cayenne: Caribbean telecom ministers and regulators met in French Guiana for CTU ICT Week 2026, with Trinidad and Tobago pushing digital government and AI, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines elected Vice-President of the CTU Council of Ministers while Hon. Konris Maynard was elected CTU President—setting the agenda on resilience, inclusion, cybersecurity, and regional coordination. Connectivity for French Guiana and neighbors: EllaLink formally launched the EllaLink Caribbean Gateway initiative, a new fibre-optic submarine cable running from Cayenne to Martinique and Guadeloupe, with western branches for Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, aiming for service by end-2029 after moving from design to committed investment. Cross-border crime warning: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, officials warned that syndicates are increasingly laundering cocaine profits through illegal gold mining, and stressed that delays in sharing intelligence across borders can let criminals act first—citing Operation Guyana Shield as a model of coordinated action across Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. Regional health rule affecting travel: Costa Rica will require a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travel starting Oct. 1 to eight higher-risk destinations, including French Guiana, with exemptions for age, pregnancy/breastfeeding, and specific medical conditions. Space policy backdrop (EU): EU officials renewed calls for autonomous access to space and more launch capacity, with French Guiana’s spaceport highlighted as part of a coordinated network.

Digital Governance in Cayenne: CTU ICT Week 2026 in Cayenne put Trinidad and Tobago’s digital-government push on the agenda, with ministers and regulators focusing on resilience, inclusion, cybersecurity, and AI-ready public services. Caribbean Connectivity Upgrade: EllaLink officially launched the EllaLink Caribbean Gateway, a new submarine cable corridor starting in Cayenne and reaching Martinique/Guadeloupe, with western links to Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire—moving from letters of intent to committed investment, aiming for service by end-2029. CTU Leadership Shuffle: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Hon. Phillip Jackson and St. Kitts and Nevis’ Hon. Konris Maynard were highlighted in CTU ministerial politics, with Maynard elected CTU President during the 32nd General Conference in French Guiana. Regional Security & Intelligence Sharing: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, officials warned that syndicates increasingly launder cocaine profits through illegal gold mining, and stressed faster cross-border intelligence sharing to prevent criminals exploiting delays. Public Health Rule for Travelers: Costa Rica will require a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travel starting Oct. 1 to eight higher-risk destinations, including French Guiana.

Health & Travel Rules: Costa Rica will require a digital yellow fever vaccination certificate from Oct. 1 for trips to eight higher-risk destinations, including French Guiana, with exemptions for age, pregnancy/breastfeeding, severe allergies, and severe immunosuppression. Regional Security & Policing: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, leaders warned that criminal syndicates are increasingly laundering cocaine profits through illegal gold mining, and stressed that intelligence must reach border and police teams fast enough to act. Cross-Border Crime Crackdown: Guyana highlighted the need for faster, coordinated regional responses as operations like “Operation Guyana Shield” and a wider ATLAS NEXUS effort show how joint action can lead to mass arrests and major seizures across the region. ICT Governance in French Guiana: CTU ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana featured ministerial leadership moves, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines elected CTU vice-president and calls for stronger regional coordination on AI, cybersecurity, and digital inclusion. Space & Infrastructure Watch: EU officials pushed for expanded autonomous access to space, including far more satellite launches by 2034, with French Guiana’s spaceport highlighted as part of a coordinated network. Transport Disruption: Passengers were stranded at Moleson Creek after the Guyana–Suriname ferry M.V. Canawaima was suspended over technical concerns, leaving travelers to scramble for legal alternatives.

Regional Security & Intelligence Sharing: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, Guyana’s PM Mark Phillips warned that criminals exploit delays in cross-border information, stressing that intelligence only protects the public when it reaches the officers who can act. Illicit Gold Linked to Cocaine Profits: INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said syndicates are increasingly moving drug capital into illegal gold mining, pointing to “Operation Guyana Shield” across Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname as a model of coordinated follow-the-money enforcement. Major Crackdown Results: A separate international operation, ATLAS NEXUS, wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes seized across drug trafficking, human trafficking, document fraud, firearms and environmental crime, with Guyana among 35 participating countries. CTU ICT Week in French Guiana: Caribbean Telecommunications Union leadership elections and ministerial discussions highlighted regional coordination on AI, data governance and cybersecurity, with French Guiana hosting CTU ICT Week 2026. Space & Connectivity for French Guiana: EU space policy news and new satellite launches underscore growing strategic demand for launch capacity, while EllaLink’s Lum@link work includes subsea branching units tied to Cayenne’s role in connecting to Europe.

CTU Leadership in French Guiana: Caribbean Telecommunications Union ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana saw Minister Phillip Jackson and others push regional coordination on AI, data governance, and cybersecurity, while Konris Maynard was elected CTU President on 23 Sept, with Dominic Smith calling for the Caribbean to shape its “digital future” rather than just adapt. Cross-border Crime & Intelligence Sharing: At the INTERPOL Americas Regional Conference in Georgetown, leaders warned that criminals are exploiting slow information flows and are increasingly laundering cocaine profits through illegal gold mining; Guyana’s PM Mark Phillips urged faster, lawful sharing so border and police checks can act on links across countries, citing Operation Guyana Shield. Regional Security Crackdown: A separate regional operation, ATLAS NEXUS, reported 490+ arrests and major seizures across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, including cocaine, firearms, wildlife, and gold. Space & Connectivity Watch: EU officials said demand for satellites will surge and called for stronger autonomous launch capacity, while a French Guiana-linked submarine cable update (EllaLink/Lum@link) advanced future Brazil branches. Local Transport Disruption: Passengers were stranded after the Guyana–Suriname ferry M.V. Canawaima was halted over technical concerns, affecting travel to Cayenne, French Guiana.

Regional Security & Policing: INTERPOL warned at its Americas conference in Georgetown that cocaine profits are increasingly being laundered through illegal gold mining, citing cross-border operations like Guyana Shield that involved Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. Intelligence Sharing: Prime Minister Mark Phillips stressed that delays in sharing information across borders let criminals act first, pointing to coordinated checks and arrests during the same operation. Major Crackdown Results: Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes seized across drug trafficking, human trafficking, document fraud, firearms and environmental crime, with Caribbean and European partners involved. CTU ICT Week in French Guiana: Caribbean Telecommunications Union leadership reshuffled as Dominic Smith pushed regional coordination on AI and digital policy, while St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Phillip Jackson was elected CTU Vice-President and Konris Maynard became CTU President. Space & French Guiana Link: EU space plans face launch bottlenecks, but new satellite launches from the European Spaceport in French Guiana underline the region’s growing strategic role. Transport Disruption: Passengers were stranded after the Guyana–Suriname ferry M.V. Canawaima was not cleared to resume operations, complicating travel to Cayenne.

Space & Defence: The EU plans to multiply its government satellite launches sixfold by 2034, aiming to grow defence spacecraft from about 20 to nearly 300 and total government satellites from ~70 to ~630, with new reliance on launch sites in Norway, the UK and Canada. Regional Policing: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, officials warned that drug profits are increasingly being laundered through illegal gold mining; they pointed to “Operation Guyana Shield” linking Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname, with thousands of checks and hundreds of arrests. Cross-Border Security: Prime Minister Mark Phillips stressed that intelligence only works if it reaches officers fast enough across borders, citing coordinated action as the model. Caribbean Telecom Leadership (French Guiana-hosted): During CTU ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana, St. Kitts and Nevis’ Konris Maynard was elected CTU President, while regional ministers pushed AI, data governance and cybersecurity coordination. Connectivity for Cayenne: EllaLink says branching units for Pará and Maranhão are now laid on the seabed, enabling future cable branches from Cayenne’s Lum@link system. Crime Crackdown: Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes seized across Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe, including Guyana and Dominica. Maritime Safety: Guyana President Irfaan Ali announced an independent commission of inquiry into the MV Barima disaster, including rescue response, vessel seaworthiness and passenger management.

EU Space Push: The European Commission says it must secure autonomous access to space and expand launch capacity as satellite demand could surge sixfold by 2034, with plans to grow government satellites from ~70 to ~630 and use launch sites in Norway, the UK and Canada. Regional Security & Policing: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, leaders warned that criminals exploit delays in sharing intelligence; INTERPOL highlighted “Operation Guyana Shield,” linking illegal gold mining to cocaine profits across Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. CTU Leadership in French Guiana: Caribbean Telecommunications Union ministers meeting in French Guiana elected St. Kitts and Nevis’ Konris Maynard as CTU President, with regional officials calling for coordinated digital policy and AI governance. Cayenne-Linked Connectivity: EllaLink says branching units for future cable links to Pará and Maranhão are now laid, extending the Cayenne connection into a scalable Latin America-Europe network. Crime Crackdown Results: Operation ATLAS NEXUS reported 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes of drugs seized across Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.

INTERPOL Americas Conference: In Georgetown, INTERPOL warned that cocaine profits are increasingly being laundered through illegal gold mining, pointing to Operation Guyana Shield as a model for tracking both goods and money across Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. Cross-Border Policing: Guyana’s PM Mark Phillips stressed that intelligence only protects the public if it reaches the right officials fast enough, urging better sharing across borders and agencies. Regional Crime Crackdown: Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes seized, targeting drug trafficking, human trafficking, document fraud, firearms and environmental crime, with Guyana among 35 participating countries. CTU Leadership in French Guiana: During CTU ICT Week 2026 hosted in French territory, St Vincent and the Grenadines was elected CTU Vice-President and Konris Maynard was elected CTU President, as ministers push for coordinated digital policy and AI governance across the Caribbean. Maritime Rights Under Climate Pressure: The UN adopted a declaration to keep legally established maritime boundaries stable despite sea-level rise, a move with major stakes for small island states’ fishing and resource zones.

CTU ICT Week in French Guiana: St. Vincent and the Grenadines elected Minister Phillip Jackson’s colleague Jackson to serve as Vice-President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Council of Ministers, as the 32nd General Conference continues in Cayenne; the CTU leadership push is also reflected in the election of Konris Maynard as CTU President, with ministers stressing AI governance, cybersecurity, and coordinated digital policy across the Caribbean. Cross-border crime & intelligence sharing: At the INTERPOL Americas conference in Georgetown, leaders warned that delayed information lets organised criminals move people, money and contraband faster than investigators can connect cases; INTERPOL also highlighted how cocaine profits are increasingly routed into illegal gold mining, pointing to Operation Guyana Shield as a model for tracking both goods and money. Regional crackdown results: Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with more than 490 arrests and 156.9 tonnes of drugs and other seized assets across Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe, targeting drug trafficking, human trafficking, document fraud, firearms and environmental crime. Transport disruption near French Guiana: Passengers were stranded after the Guyana–Suriname ferry M.V. Canawaima was halted over technical concerns, with travellers including those bound for Cayenne reporting weeks of disruption risk. Connectivity for French Guiana: EllaLink says branching units for future Brazilian Amazon cable links were laid from Cayenne’s Lum@link system, aiming to expand regional high-capacity fibre without extra deep-water intervention.

Cross-Border Crime Crackdown: INTERPOL says cocaine profits are increasingly being laundered through illegal gold mining, pointing to Operation Guyana Shield as a model for following both goods and money across Guyana, Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. Intelligence Sharing Pressure: Guyana’s PM Mark Phillips warned at the INTERPOL Americas conference that delays in getting critical information to the officers who can act let criminals move people and cash ahead of investigations. Regional Security Push: Phillips called for faster, more coordinated regional action against transnational organised crime, citing narcotics, firearms, cybercrime, money laundering and illegal resource trade. CTU Leadership in French Guiana: St Kitts and Nevis minister Konris Maynard was elected President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union during CTU ICT Week 2026 hosted in French territory, as ministers urged stronger regional coordination on AI, data governance and digital policy. Connectivity for Cayenne: EllaLink says deep-sea branching units linking Cayenne, French Guiana to future Brazilian Amazon branches have been laid for Pará and Maranhão, supporting planned expansion without disrupting the main route.