ECLAC is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations. Established in February 1948 and headquartered in Santiago, the Commission’s main mandate is to contribute to the sustainable development of Latin America and the Caribbean. In June  1951, the Commission established the ECLAC subregional headquarters in Mexico City, which serves the needs of the Central American countries, as well as Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Mexico, and in December 1966, the ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean was founded in Port of Spain, to serve the Caribbean subregion. In addition, ECLAC has country offices in Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Brasília and Montevideo, and a liaison office in Washington, D.C. The Commission’s 46 member States comprise the 33 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean plus 13 Asian, European and North American countries that have historical, economic and cultural ties with the region. Fourteen non-independent territories of the Caribbean are associate members of the Commission.