Elizabeth Morgan | Building and strengthening other partnerships

“… In this world of grave difficulty confronting us at all levels, partnerships across the world will be important if we are going to survive the many challenges that are not unique to any one region, but hold all of us in a very, very difficult position…” – Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados, at the opening ceremony of the 48th CARICOM Heads of Government Conference.

BUILDING, MAINTAINING, and strengthening partnerships should now be among the top priorities for the small developing states of this region. It is very clear that the word of a major country in the world can no longer be trusted. There is flip-flopping, backtracking, alternative narratives, and inconsistencies. Truthfulness, integrity, and courage seem to be character traits of the past for many.

That country, the USA, is distancing itself from agreements which it skillfully negotiated, approved, signed, and ratified. As stated in previous articles in this column, especially for trade agreements, these were initiated, negotiated and supported by the Republican Party. In his press conference with the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, on Monday, US President Donald Trump again described these agreements entered into by the USA as terrible and not in the US’s interest. In these, it seems, he included the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA), which was negotiated in his first term as president – 2016-2021 – at his insistence.

He, at its conclusion, described this agreement as “the largest, most significant, modern, and balanced trade agreement in history. All of our countries will benefit greatly”. Now, the president states that all these agreements, including his own USMCA, took advantage of the USA. It thus seems that his administration is numbered among those negotiating bad agreements for the USA.

MILITARY AID

Note also that the USA offered military aid to Ukraine and to stand with them in the war initiated by Russia. Today, the US position on Ukraine has changed. The US wants repayment of funds granted to Ukraine through its Congress. Favouring a peace agreement, US commitment to continue supporting Ukraine is in doubt. In fact, in the UN General Assembly on Monday, the US, in an unusual reversal of position, did not support resolutions marking the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine. It supported a lighter resolution in the Security Council, which was adopted.

Tariffs are now a weapon for the Trump administration. One has to see what emerges from the review of the US’s bilateral trade with all its trading partners. By April 1, this could see a policy of reciprocity being introduced, flouting the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which the US helped to establish. These days, in discussions on the US tariff proposals, it seems that many in the USA have forgotten that this international trade body, the WTO, and its rules exist.

CARICOM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

It is reported that arising from the 48th CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Barbados, February 19-21, the heads are inviting President Trump to the region and seeking meetings with high-level officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne is quoted as saying:

“We’re hoping we are successful in inviting President Trump to the region. It’s very important for him to pay some attention to the third border of the United States. Also, to enter meaningful discussions as to how US policies impact in the region, especially these smaller countries … . Many of us have open economies and we import up to 80 per cent of what we consume primarily from the United States.”

CARICOM has to go into these meetings, should they materialise, recognising that this is a new day in the engagement with the USA. One cannot predict what the US response will be, its interpretation of historical events/agreements, and what positions will be on the table.

For these engagements, again, the first place a strong partnership and solidarity are required is within CARICOM, among the member states.

BUILDING/STRENGTHENING OTHER PARTNERSHIPS

Prime Minister Mottley is correct that in this time of difficulties, partnerships are needed across the globe.

CARICOM has to maintain its partnership with the European Union (EU). Member states have entered into a partnership agreement, the Samoa Agreement, with the EU. Its members are party to a trade agreement, the Economic Partnership Agreement. In a nod to this partnership, EU Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen was a specially invited guest at the 48th CARCOM Heads Conference.

Within the Commonwealth, there is a need, regardless of other issues, to strengthen the partnership within this body which includes the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and countries in Africa and Asia. The outgoing Commonwealth secretary general was at the heads conference.

At the bilateral level, CARICOM has trade arrangements with the UK and Canada, and long-standing cooperation. In this context, CARICOM should be seeking to have high- level consultations with the UK and Canada. India, a Commonwealth member, has been working to strengthen relations with CARICOM.

CARICOM has been endeavouring to develop and strengthen cooperation with Africa through the African Union (AU). It appears that the second AU-CARICOM Summit should be held in September in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The Community of Latin American and Caribbean Countries should be having its summit by March in Honduras. This should be another opportunity for strengthening partnerships.

In Asia, CARICOM has also developed partnerships with South Korea, Japan, and China.

The UN is another body in which to continue strengthening partnerships through the various alliances, the Group of 77 and China, and the Alliance of Small Island States. As reported, the US is reviewing its membership in the UN system.

So, while endeavouring to maintain a good, productive relationship with the USA, CARICOM and its member states have to also be focused on building and strengthening other partnerships in these times of grave difficulties confronting the region and the world.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.