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Caribbean
Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
The
establishment of the Caribbean Community and
Common Market (CARICOM) was the result of a
15-year effort to fulfil the hope of regional
integration which was born with the establishment
of the British West Indies Federation in 1958.
It was a Federal Government drawn from 10 member
islands. Although a plan for a Customs Union
was drawn up, emphasis was not placed on economic
aspects of Federation during the four years
of its existence. Economically the Region remained
as it had been for centuries and not even Free
Trade was introduced between the Member Countries
during this period. The West Indies Federation
came to an end in 1962 but its end, in many
ways must be regarded as the real beginning
of what is now the Caribbean Community.
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Associaiton
of Caribbean States (ACS)
The
Convention Establishing the ACS was signed on
24 July 1994 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia,
with the aim of promoting consultation, cooperation
and concerted action among all the countries
of the Caribbean, comprising 25 Member States
and three Associate Members. Eight other non-independent
Caribbean countries are eligible for associate
membership.
The objectives of the ACS are enshrined in the
Convention and are based on the following: the
strengthening of the regional co-operation and
integration process, with a view to creating
an enhanced economic space in the region; preserving
the environmental integrity of the Caribbean
Sea which is regarded as the common patrimony
of the peoples of the region; and promoting
the sustainable development of the Greater Caribbean.
Its current focal areas are trade, transport,
sustainable tourism and natural disasters.
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Organisation
of Eastern Caribbean States
The
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (0ECS)
came into being on June 18th 1981, when seven
Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty
agreeing to cooperate with each other and promote
unity and solidarity among the Members. The
Treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre,
so named in honour of the capital city of St.
Kitts and Nevis where it was signed.
The
mission of the OECS is to be a major institutional
player at the regional level, contributing to
the sustainable development of our member countries
by assisting them to maximise the benefits from
their collective space, by facilitating their
intelligent integration with the global economy;
by contributing to policy and program formulation
and execution in respect of regional and international
issues, and by facilitation of bilateral and
multilateral co-operation.
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The
Commonwealth
Today's
Commonwealth is a world away from the handful
of British Dominions which were the first Commonwealth
members. It is a unique family of 54 developed
and developing nations, a voluntary association
of independent sovereign states spread over
every continent and ocean.
From Africa to Asia, from Pacific shores to
the Caribbean, the Commonwealth's 1.7 billion
people make up 30% of the world's population
and are of many faiths, races, languages and
cultures.
The
modern Commonwealth gradually evolved out of
United Kingdom's imperial past, mainly through
decolonisation, the effects of two world wars
and changing patterns of international relations.
Today it helps to advance democracy, human rights
and sustainable economic and social development
within its member countries and beyond. With
a common working language and similar systems
of law, public administration and education,
the Commonwealth has built on its shared history
to become a vibrant and growing association
of states in tune with the modern world.
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Organization
of American States (OAS)
On
April 30, 1948, 21 countries of the hemisphere
met in Bogotá, Colombia, to adopt the
Charter of the Organization of American States
(OAS), which affirmed their commitment to common
goals and respect for each nation’s sovereignty.
Since then, the OAS has expanded to include
the nations of the Caribbean, as well as Canada.
Through
the Summit of the Americas process, the hemisphere’s
heads of state and government have given the
OAS important responsibilities and mandates,
including:
- Strengthening
freedom of speech and thought as a basic human
right;
- Promoting
greater participation by civil society in
decision-making at all levels of government.
- Improving
cooperation to address the problem of illegal
drugs; and
- Supporting
the process to create a Free Trade Area of
the Americas.
The
OAS also brings together government leaders
from member states to focus on education, justice,
security and other issues that that touch people’s
lives in tangible ways.
All
35 countries of the Americas have ratified the
OAS Charter and belong to the Organization.
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United
Nations
The
United Nations was established on 24 October
1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving
peace through international cooperation and
collective security. Today, nearly every nation
in the world belongs to the UN: membership now
totals 189 countries.
When
States become Members of the United Nations,
they agree to accept the obligations of the
UN Charter, an international treaty which sets
out basic principles of international relations.
According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:
to maintain international peace and security,
to develop friendly relations among nations,
to cooperate in solving international problems
and in promoting respect for human rights, and
to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of
nations.
UN
Members are sovereign countries. The United
Nations is not a world government, and it does
not make laws. It does, however, provide the
means to help resolve international conflict
and formulate policies on matters affecting
all of us. At the UN, all the Member States
- large and small, rich and poor, with differing
political views and social systems - have a
voice and vote in this process.
The
United Nations has six main organs. Five of
them - the General Assembly, the Security Council,
the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship
Council and the Secretariat - are based at UN
Headquarters in New York. The sixth, the International
Court of Justice, is located at The Hague, the
Netherlands.
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