November 21, 2024

The Caribbean and Americas Department is the arm of the Ministry which is responsible for the promotion of integration and development, as well as technical cooperation through regional, hemispheric and international organizations such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Organisation of American States (OAS), Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

The main responsibilities of the Caribbean and Americas Department include:

  • Identifying new sources of development and technical assistance;
  • Undertaking preparations for regional and hemispheric meetings;
  • Arranging high level, official and technical visits and meetings hosted by Jamaica;
  • Participating in and providing policy advice and guidance on Jamaica’s positions at regional and hemispheric meetings such as CARICOM, the OAC, ACS and CELAC;
  • Coordinating foreign policy among CARICOM Member States;
  • Liaising with Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies on issues of national and regional importance;
  • Promoting and strengthening economic, social, and cultural cooperation between Jamaica and other CARICOM Member States;
  • Monitoring political and economic development in CARICOM Member States and Third States; and
  • Providing policy advice to the Political directorate based on sound research and analysis.

Areas Covered by the Caribbean and Americas Department include:

  • The Organization of American States and the Inter-American System
    • Summit of the Americas Process
    • CARICOM/OAS Relations
  • Caribbean Community
    • CARICOM Member and Associate Member States
    • CARICOM Organs, Bodies and Institutions
    • Associate Institutions of the Community
  • CARICOM Relations with Third States and Regions
    • CARICOM-Canada Relations
    • CARICOM-UK Relations
    • CARICOM – US Relations
    • CARICOM-Africa Relations
    • CARICOM- Asia Relations
    • CARICOM- Europe Relations
    • CARICOM-North America
    • CARICOM-Latin American and Caribbean Relations
  • Bilateral relations with Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti
  • Caribbean and Latin American Organization/Institutions
  • Regional Groupings/Organisations e.g. ACS, CELAC, MERCOSUR, PetroCaribe Initiative, UNASUR
    Border Disputes
    • Belize-Guatemala
    • Guyana-Venezuela
    • Suriname-Guyana

Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

The Caribbean Community was founded in 1973 as the institutional vehicle through which the region could best pursue the vision for a united, integrated community.
As one of the founding members of the Caribbean Community, Jamaica continues to play an important role in the regional integration movement to the attainment of its national development goals and for the advancement of the region as a whole.
CARICOM’s tangible benefits are evident in areas of functional cooperation such as agriculture (CARDI), education (UWI, CSEC, CAPE), sports (CARIFTA Games), disaster preparedness and response (CDEMA), climate change (Five C’s), security (CBSI), project financing through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), broadcasting and information (Caribbean Broadcasting Union), health (PANCAP for HIV/AIDS and CARPHA) and culture (CARIFESTA).

General Information on CARICOM may be obtained from: www.caricom.org