Future Directions of Caribbean Foreign Policy: The Oceans

• Author: Francois Jackman
• Pages: 401-412

FUTURE DIRECTIONS OF

CARIBBEAN FOREIGN POLICY: THE OCEANS

Francois Jackman

27

Introduction

The ocean space of Caribbean states,

in general and of Caribbean Community

(CARICOM) states, in particular, has long

constituted an essential part of their national

identity and economy.1 Relatively recent

developments in ocean-related technology and,

consequently, in the international law regulating

ocean space, has de facto “internationalised” the

ocean space of Caribbean states in two ways.

This development has two main consequences,

within the context of this discussion.

Firstly, as a result of the expansion of

national jurisdiction over maritime space

which has occurred since the end of World War

II, CARICOM and Caribbean states are now

neighbours in a way they were not when each

only claimed a 3 nautical mile territorial sea.2

They are thus now required to interact among

themselves as states with joint and sometimes

competing interests in the Caribbean Sea.

Secondly, the recent explosion in the

international maritime transport of goods

generally,3 and of ultra-hazardous materials, in

particular,4 and the presence in the region of

the Panama Canal, make the Caribbean Sea an

area of strategic interest to a large number of

non-Caribbean states. This requires Caribbean

and CARICOM countries to re-shape their

relationship with the world beyond their region

in respect of the Caribbean’s ocean space.

It is for these reasons that ocean governance

policy will have to play an increasingly

important part of Caribbean and CARICOM

foreign policy, both within the region and

with extra-regional actors. In this regard, this

chapter will:

a. consider one of the def‌ining characteris-

tics of the Caribbean Sea as well as its legal

and policy implications;

b. sketch what are some of the relevant devel-

opments in ocean-related technology and

international ocean policy and law;

c. brief‌ly consider what are the consequent

foreign policy implications these develop-

ments have both as between CARICOM

and Caribbean states and as between these

states and third (non-Caribbean) states.

It should be noted that the chapter will

focus on CARICOM states but will take into

account the fact that, given the geography

of the region, many CARICOM states have

non-CARICOM states as neighbours5, in

some cases, critically important neighbours.

In addition, much of what is relevant to

CARICOM states is of general application to

non-CARICOM Caribbean states.

The Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea falls into a special

category of ocean space def‌ined as “enclosed

or semi-enclosed seas” by Article 122 of

UNCLOS.6 Given the close proximity of

states bordering enclosed or semi-enclosed seas

to one another and their consequent inter-

dependence, Article 123 of UNCLOS exhorts

them, in quite a common sense fashion, to

cooperate in a variety of ways.7 As is often