REGIONAL
INTEGRATION
A process in which states that share a common
geographic location, history and/or political
structure enter into an agreement in order to
introduce coordination and increase cooperation
through common institutions and rules.
REASONS FOR ATTEMPTS AT
INTEGRATION
· Individual states are small with little or no political or economic clout internationally
· Resources of individual states are limited
· States have encountered similar problems and issues with trading partners
· States share background historically and culturally and these similarities assist in the creation of
partnerships among them
· The three main areas where integration have been attempted are:=
· political integration /unity – particularly in the coordination of foreign policy
· Economic integration and cooperation – CARICOM
· Functional cooperation among states in the areas of health, education, law, tourism, disaster relief,
media, agriculture, financing, and industrial relations
INTEGRATION
MOVEMENT
· The West Indian Federation !958 – 1962
· Caribbean Free Trade Association CARIFTA 1968 – 1973
· CARICOM – The Caribbean Community and Common Market 1973 – present, this
includes CSME Caribbean Single Market and Economy – 2006
· Organization of Eastern Caribbean States ( OECS) 1981 –present
· Association of Caribbean States (ACS) 1994 – present
·
· Territories are at different stages of development – difference in priorities and
FACTORS THAT HINDER concerns about economic disparity
EXPLAINED · Members may be unwilling to cooperate due to:- protecting their own
interests, autonomy, jealousy, competitiveness eyc
· Conflict between territorial and regional demand – Fishing agreement
between Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago
· Territories not having same currency example European Union have the Euro
· Territories do not have the same type or amounts of resources example
Trinidad &Tobago –oil, Jamaica- bauxite, Barbados?
· Territories might have incompatible political systems example political
system of Puerto Rico or Cuba verses Barbados etc
· Territories have differences in their social and racial make up giving rise to
different value systems, beliefs, etc
· Territories are scattered over the region example Bahamas, Belize, Guyana
· This is made up of English, Spanish, French and Dutch
speaking territories
ACS COUNTRIES · Five main aims – To preserve the environmental integrity of
the Caribbean Sea
ASSOCIATION OF · To promote sustainable tourism across the region
CARIBBEAN STATES – · To support and strengthen regional economic cooperation
and integration through increased trade
TREATY OF CARTEGENA
· To establish strategies for dealing with natural disasters
1994 · To improve intraregional transport links( main areas of action
THIS IS THE 4TH LARGEST :- working on sustainable zone in the Caribbean
· Facilitate language training
TRADING BLOC IN THE
· Updating building codes
WORLD · Strengthening disaster agencies
OECS COUNTRIES – 9 MEMBER GROUPING
· Antigua and Barbuda
· Commonwealth of Dominica
· Grenada
· Montserrat
· St Kitts and nevis
· St.Lucia
· St.Vincent and the Grenadines
· Anguilla
· The British Virgin islands and associated members
· Its mandate is to reach out to and incorporate other regional
CARICOM 1973 – TREATY groups into the fold. OECS is now considered a sub-group
OF CHAGUANAS- THE of Caricom
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY · SOME ACHIEVEMENTS
AND COMMON MARKET Regional negotiating machinery (CRNM)
Better border control with the establishment of a CARICOM
passport
Improved economic strength as resources are pooled
The creation of the CCJ and movement towards establishing it
as the final court of appeal of the region
CARICOM creates a stronger Caribbean unity and identity with
the promotion of Caribbean industries ,produce and services
· CCARICOM
Mainly English Speaking ( 15 members approx.13 million
people
Focus is on Integration
Aims to be a single market and economy CSME
THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN ACS AND ACS
CARICOM Represents the Greater Caribbean ( 25 members, three
associate members, approx. 237 million people
Focus is cooperation
Is a zone of cooperation ( current focus on trade, transport,
sustainable tourism and natural disasters
REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROMOTE
INTEGRATION
CHALLENGES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
· University of the West Indies (UWI)
· Caribbean Examination Council (CXC)
· West Indies Cricket Board (WICB)
· Caribbean Institute of media and
Communication (CARMA)
· Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
· Regional Security System ( RSS)
· Caribbean Tourism Organization
