Introduction

• Author: Kenneth O. Hall/Myrtle Chuck-A-Sang
• Profession: Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica/Project Director of the UWI-CARICOM Project
• Pages: 13-21

INTRODUCTION

that are, unfortunately, beyond the reach

of many developing countries, including

some in CARICOM, where progress with

the MDGs has been uneven. In this regard,

Ambassador Edwin Laurent f‌inds that even

though the performance in attaining these

goals is commendable given the circumstances,

he asserts that this should not be a basis for

complacency, adding that there is room for

improvement. He notes, however, that since

foreign aid budgets have been cut, it is likely

that funding for the MDGs will have to be

sourced from domestic economic growth and

particularly, from expanded production and

exports.

When all these issues are conf‌lated, it

is clear that a new approach to managing

CARICOM diplomatic efforts must be

considered. The old ways of setting policy

and managing CARICOM’s Diplomacy are

obsolete. The benef‌its from past diplomatic

initiatives at the bilateral level may no longer

outweigh the benef‌its to be obtained from

collective and synchronised action at the

regional, hemispheric and global levels.

Furthermore, speaking with one voice and

voting collectively on issues that matter to

the survival of small vulnerable economies, is

critical for CARICOM success in navigating

this very f‌luid global environment. A cohesive

CARICOM Foreign Policy should promote

the collective interests of CARICOM in the

area of economic prosperity and advancement.

It should support political, cultural, religious

and social freedoms; it should emphasise

peaceful cooperation, regional security and

environmental sustainability; it should

accentuate the value of human rights,

equity, fairness and good governance; and it

should seek to integrate the Diaspora into its

“together we can prevail, and must

prevail”

(Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Honourable

Bruce Golding) 1

On July 4, 2009, the region celebrated

thirty-six years as a formal Caribbean

Community (CARICOM). The analyses

contained in this publication in the “The

Integrationist Series” all tend to suggest that

CARICOM now, more than ever, needs to

transform its experiences over these years into a

more structured foundation for maximising the

multiplier effects of collective representation,

and for leveraging CARICOM’s diplomatic

efforts and resources in a more coordinated

and integrated manner. This imperative

is necessitated by the rapidly changing

international environment which has far too

often impacted negatively on small developing

countries, leaving them increasingly vulnerable

and marginalised.

In their relationships with developed

countries, the latter is shifting emphasis from

commitments to fostering programmes for

economic and social development; greater

concern is now being placed on security in

all its dimensions including drug traff‌icking,

deportations and money laundering.

Additionally, there appears to be less disquiet

at the political level for ending preferences and

subsidies, following the signing of the ACP-

EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)

as countries become compliant with the World

Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. New trade

agreements seem to emphasise market-based

solutions, without much concern for ending

poverty in small developing countries, with the

achievement of the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs) being lofty expectations