Foreign relations of Barbados

As a small nation, the primary thrust of Barbados' diplomatic activity has been within international organizations. The island is a member of the Commonwealth and participates in its activities. Barbados was admitted to the United Nations in December 1966. Barbados joined the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1967.

On July 4, 1973, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica signed a treaty in Trinidad to found the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In May 1974, most of the remaining English-speaking Caribbean states joined CARICOM, which now has 14 members. Barbados also is a member of the Caribbean Development Bank, established in 1970, with headquarters in Bridgetown. The eastern Caribbean's Regional Security System, which associates Barbados with six other island nations, also is headquartered in Barbados. In July 1994, Barbados joined the newly established Association of Caribbean States (ACS).

As a member of CARICOM, Barbados supported efforts by the United States to implement UN Security Council Resolution 940, designed to facilitate the departure of Haiti's de facto authorities from power. The country agreed to contribute personnel to the multinational force, which restored the democratically elected government of Haiti in October 1994.

In May 1997, Prime Minister Owen Arthur hosted United States President Bill Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first-ever U.S.-regional summit in Bridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional cooperation on justice and counternarcotics issues, finance and development, and trade.

On 11 April 2006, the 5-Member UNCLOS Annex VII Arbitral Tribunal, presided over by H.E. Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, rendered after two years of international judicial proceedings, the landmark Barbados/Trinidad and Tobago Award, which resolved the maritime boundary delimitation (in the East, Central and West sectors) to satisfaction of both Parties and committed Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to resolve their fisheries dispute by means of concluding a new Fisheries Agreement.

Barbados has diplomatic missions headed by resident ambassadors or high commissioners in Canada, the UK, the U.S., and Venezuela, and at the European Union (Brussels) and the UN. It also has resident consuls general in Toronto, Miami, and New York City. Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Canada, Colombia, People's Republic of China, Guatemala, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela have ambassadors or high commissioners resident in Barbados.

Barbados is also a member of the International Criminal Court, without a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98)

Disputes - international:none

Illicit drugs:one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for the US and Europe

References

*factbook
*StateDept

"See also:"
*Barbados
*Barbadian diplomatic missions
*Government of Barbados
*Politics of Barbados

External links

* [http://www.foreign.gov.bb/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade]
* [http://bb2.mofcom.gov.cn/ Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Barbados]
* [http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1152 Barbados/Trinidad and Tobago] and [http://www.un.org/law/riaa/ XXVII UNRIAA 147] and [http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1056 Award Series] and [http://www.energy.gov.bb/(S(dy1mel3bjodpta55v4qtlj55))/textFiles/Barbados_International_Law_Environment.pdf Key Boundaries]
* [http://www.uu.nl/uupublish/content-cln/barbados.pdf Barbados/Trinidad and Tobago Analysis] and [http://www.uu.nl/uupublish/content-cln/MAP1.pdf Award's Map] [http://www.uu.nl/uupublish/content-cln/MAP2.pdf and Lathrop's Map] and [http://www.brill.nl/product.asp?ID=18253 22 IJMCL 7-60 2007] and [http://www.uu.nl/uupublish/content/Barbados5September2008.pdf 2008 Revision] and [http://www.law.uu.nl/nilos NILOS Articles] and [http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P3-1439064821.html 37 GWILR pp.573-620 2007 No.3] and [http://catalogue.ppl.nl/DB=1/LNG=EN/REL?PPN=076251780 Catalogue] and [http://notesfromthemargin.wordpress.com/ Boundary Notes]
* [http://www.un.org/Depts/los/clcs_new/clcs_home.htm Barbados Submission to CLCS] and [http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sea1908.doc.htm 22nd CLCS 18 August-12 September 2008]
* [http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/barbados/eco.htm Economic aspects of sustainable development in Barbados]

Diplomatic relations of Barbados with other nations