INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

OF THE CARIBBEAN

Is the Third World an old fashioned concept?

Dr. Jacqueline LAGUARDIA MARTINEZ

Is the Third World an old fashioned concept?

How could the Global South definition be any different?

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-31042808

The Third WorldThe first to use it in its modern sense was Alfred Sauvy, a French demographer who drew a parallel with the “third estate” during the French revolution.

In 1952 Sauvy wrote that “this ignored, exploited, scorned Third World, like the Third Estate, wants to become something, too.”

Third World: Definitions• It is the world made up of the ex-colonial, newly-independent,

non-aligned countries.• It usually has being defined simultaneously as the non-aligned

world and as the global jurisdiction of poverty and under-development.

• Like other collectives descriptions of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Pacific islands and Latin America, the designation was more about what such places were not than what they were.

• The concept was developed around a set of measurable criteria usually relied on identifying material circumstances.

• Considering the diversity of the states involved, the definition appeals to a common history and consciousness.

• In its origins, it was related to the idea of a “third way”.

• The decline in its use happened as the use of “globalization” increased.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Third_world_countries_map_world_2.PNG

• 1961: Belgrade, the Non-Aligned Summit

• 1964: Group of 77 at the first UNCTAD

• By the 60’s: Main focus was anticolonialism

• By the 70’s: Main focus was development (the 70’s was proclaimed the “Development Decade” by the UN).

• From the 70´s: Attempts to reform the international economic system (the New International Economic Order) and development of a common identity (common cause and common action).

• In the 80’s: The “development momentum” was lost

• In the 90’s: The end of the Cold War changed the rhetoric in the international discourse

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

• It is a group of states which are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.

• The purpose of the organization is to ensure the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries in their struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics.

• As of 2012, the movement has 120 members and 17 observer countries.

• The countries represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations’ members and contain 55% of the world population.

• The 16th NAM summit took place in Tehran, Iran, in 2012.

• Representatives from over 150 countries attended (attendance at the highest level includes 27 presidents, 2 kings and emirs, 7 prime ministers, 9 vice presidents, 2 parliament spokesmen and 5 special envoys).

• At the summit, Iran took over from Egypt as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement for the period 2012 to 2015.

• The 17th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement is to be held in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2015.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:NAM_Members.svg

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

Latin American and Caribbean Members• Antigua and Barbuda (2006)

• Bahamas (1983)

• Barbados (1983)

• Belize (1976)

• Bolivia (1979)

• Chile (1973)

• Colombia (1983)

• Cuba (1961)

• Dominica (2006)

• Dominican Republic (2000)

• Ecuador (1983)

• Grenada (1979)

• Guatemala (1993)

• Guyana (1970)

• Haiti (2006)

• Honduras (1995)

• Jamaica (1970)

• Nicaragua (1979)

• Panama (1976)

• Peru (1973)

• Saint Kitts and Nevis (2006)

• Saint Lucia (1983)

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2003)

• Suriname (1983)

• Trinidad and Tobago (1970)

• Venezuela (1989)

Group of 77

• The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a coalition of developing nations.

• The group was founded by the "Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Countries" issued at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

• It was designed to promote its members’ collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations.

• There were 77 founding members of the organization, but by March 2014 the organization had since expanded to 133 member countries.

• South Africa holds the Chairmanship for 2015.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:G_77.svg

Group of 77

Caribbean Members

Founding members

•Cuba• Dominican Republic

• Haiti• Jamaica• Trinidad and Tobago

Other current members•Antigua and Barbuda•Bahamas

•Barbados•Belize•Dominica•Guyana•Saint Kitts and Nevis

•Saint Lucia•Saint Vincent and the Grenadines•Suriname

Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77

and China

Santa Cruz de la Sierra, June, 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et-KYhpAjGQ

Which are the Small Island Developing States (SIDS)?

?

UN Members (38)

AIMS (Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea)

1.Bahréin

2.Cape Verde

3.Comores

4.Guinea-Bissau

5.Maldivas

6.Mauricio

7.Sao Tomé y Príncipe

8.Seychelles

9.Singapur

Pacific

10.Fiji

11.Kiribati

12.Islas Marshall

13.Micronesia

14.Nauru

15.Palau

16.Papua Nueva Guinea

17.Samoa

18.Islas Solomon

19.Timor-Leste

20.Tonga

21.Tuvalu

22.Vanuatu

Caribbean

23.Antigua y Barbuda

24.Bahamas

25.Barbados

26.Belice

27.Cuba

28.Dominica

29.República Dominicana

30.Granada

31.Guyana

32.Haití

33.Jamaica

34.San Kitts y Nevis

35.Santa Lucía

36.San Vicente y las Granadinas

37.Surinam

38.Trinidad y Tobago

Non-UN Members/Associate Members of the Regional Commissions (19)

1. American Samoa

10.Guadalupe

11.Anguilla

12.Guam

13.Aruba

14.Martinica

15.Bermuda

16.Montserrat

17.Islas Vírgenes Británicas

10.Nueva Caledonia

11.Islas Caimán

12.Niue

13.Comunidad de las Marianas

14. Puerto Rico

15.Islas Cook

16. Turcos y Caicos

17.Curacao

18. Islas Vírgenes U.S.

19.Polinesia Francesa

http://www.scidev.net/global/water/feature/ocean-science-development-sids-facts-figures.html

http://www.scidev.net/global/water/feature/ocean-science-development-sids-facts-figures.html

Why/Where the confusion?How are SIDS defined?

Small Island

Developing States

?

SIDS population (millions 2012)

Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2014

Small Island Developing States have been recognized as a special case for development by the UN system, and by the entire world.

The inherent vulnerabilities pose specific and unique challenges to development, such as distance to markets, achieving economies of scale, high costs of transport and extreme vulnerability to shocks, and therefore require specific assistance that is targeted.

SIDS are an auto-categorization group Most of them are Members of AOSIS

• The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is a coalition of small island and low-lying coastal countries that share similar development challenges and concerns about the environment, especially their vulnerability to the adverse effects of global climate change.

• AOSIS has a membership of 44 States and observers, drawn from all oceans and regions of the world.

• 39 are UN members, close to 28 % of developing countries, and 20% of the UN’s total membership.

• Together, SIDS communities constitute some 5% of the global population.

• It functions primarily as an ad hoc lobby and negotiating voice for SIDS within the United Nations system.

• The Alliance does not have a formal charter. There is no regular budget, nor a secretariat. Member States work together primarily through their New York diplomatic Missions to the United Nations.

• Major policy decisions are taken at ambassadorial-level plenary sessions.

• AOSIS functions on the basis of consultation and consensus.

AOSIS1. Antigua and Barbuda

2. Bahamas

3. Barbados

4. Belize

5. Cape Verde

6. Comoros

7. Cook Islands

8. Cuba

9. Dominica

10. Dominican Republic

11. Fiji

12. Federated States of Micronesia

13. Grenada

14. Guinea-Bissau

15. Guyana

16. Haiti

17. Jamaica

18. Kiribati

19. Maldives

20. Marshall Islands

21. Mauritius

22. Nauru

23. Niue

24. Palau

25. Papua New Guinea

26. Samoa

27. Singapore

28. Seychelles

29. Sao Tome and Principe

30. Solomon Islands

31. St. Kitts and Nevis

32. St. Lucia

33. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

34. Suriname

35. Timor-Leste

36. Tonga

37. Trinidad and Tobago

38. Tuvalu

39. Vanuatu

Observers

40.American Samoa41.Netherlands Antilles42.Guam43.U.S. Virgin Islands44.Puerto Rico

• It was formed in November 1990 as a negotiating body for the first meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating committee. As a direct result, language on SIDS was included in the final text of the United Nations

• AOSIS has enabled small islands to negotiate in international fora for positive change from a collective position.

• This has helped to gain greater recognition for the concerns of small islands in the United Nations organizations but has had limited impact on the global political stage where global core nations (North America, Australasia, Europe and Japan) dominate.

• AOSIS usually is slightly ahead of the ‘next most radical’ negotiating position (often held by the EU), for example updating their temperature and GHG concentration targets to 1.58C and 350 ppm

• AOSIS suggested thresholds for sea-level rise and the avoidance of adverse effects on SIDS as a benchmark for climate change mitigation success

• Key members of AOSIS have always been frontrunners, supporting the Alliance position but separately advocating further action

AOSIS defending SIDS interests

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MRIHoODUfg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1jVA8qH_O8

Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS Conference)

• September 1- 4 2014, in Apia, Samoa

• Attended by 21 Heads of State and Government, as well as 3,500 delegates.

• Theme: “Sustainable development of the SIDS, through genuine and lasting partnerships”

• 300 partnerships were registered towards the SIDS Conference (http://www.sids2014.org/partnerships).

• In parallel with plenary discussions, six multi-stakeholder Partnership Dialogues took place on the themes of: sustainable economic development; climate change and disaster risk management (DRM); social development, health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), youth and women; sustainable energy; oceans, seas and biodiversity; and water and sanitation, food security and waste management.

Small Islands Developing States (SIDS)THE SIDS PROGRAMME OF ACTION:

1.- Climate Change and Sea-level rise

9.- Biodiversity Resources

2.- Natural and Environmental Disasters

10.- National Institutions and Administrative Capacity

3.- Management of Wastes 11.- Regional Institutions and Technical Cooperation

4-. Coastal and Marine Resources

12.- Transport and Communication

5.- Freshwater Resources 13.- Science and Technology

6-. Land Resources 14.- Human Resource Development

7.- Energy Resources 15.- Implementation, Monitoring and Review.

8.- Tourism

REGIONAL PREPARATORY PROCESS– Jamaica Regional Preparatory Meeting (July 2013) - KINGSTON

OUTCOME DOCUMENT – Inter-Regional Preparatory SIDS Meeting –Barbados (August 2013)– CARICOM Regional preparatory Meeting– (August 2014)

CARICOM PARTICIPATION IN SAMOA– Heads of Government from Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis– Ministerial/official representation from Antigua and Barbuda, The

Bahamas, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

– Barbados PM chaired multi-stakeholder dialogue on Sustainable Economic Development

– CARICOM SG chaired a Side event on Financing for Sustainable Development

– Bilateral Meetings held with - UNEP Executive Director & GEF CEO

CARICOM PARTICIPATION

Twenty years after the Barbados Action Plan

• Lack of follow-through, lack of finance.

• Public Health as a Caribbean vulnerability.

• Crime and insecurity as one “transversal” problem associated to Caribbean vulnerabilities and sustained development.

• Debt problem.

• GDP per capita as the only “indicator” to legitimize access to international concessional funds.

• Technology transfer is needed.

• Need to improve data and indicators on “Caribbean vulnerabilities and its social and economic impacts” (CARICOM project on environmental statistics).

• Insufficient intra and inter-regional cooperation.

Twenty years after the Barbados Action Plan (1994)

• Caribbean SIDS are even more vulnerable and fragile (economic, social and environmentally) nowadays.

• International cooperation and multilateral commitments to the region below the requirements to addressing critical areas: a) capacity constraint issues, b) poverty reduction challenges and, c) the region’s vulnerability to external shocks and climate change impacts.

• Under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, international community must be encouraged to base their overall support on partner countries national strategies, institutions and procedures.

OAD (1990-2011)

Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs 2014

Twenty years after the Barbados Action Plan

Current world scenario and certain principles / practices established at the global economic institutions have diminished the political will and the resources for international development cooperation.

Caribbean SIDS should rely much more on their domestic and regional resources than ever before to overcome the economic, social, and environmental challenges ahead.

Twenty years after the Barbados Action Plan

• Regional discussions on SIDS should be anchored in a coordinated approach through a regional consensus building process at CARICOM.

• It’s necessary to examine respective national development plans in an effort to identify similarities (to ventilate regional viewpoints and solidify a Caribbean approach).

• NGOs, Civil Society, Private Sector organizations and universities should play a greater role in the process of regional consensus building and implementation.

• Success of SAMOA pathway will be measured by the implementation and follow-up initiatives

• Requires genuine and durable partnerships;

• Barbados PM –establishment of inter and intra-regional SIDS inter-governmental mechanisms in the three SIDS Regions to facilitate implementation of the SAMOA Pathway. Barbados offered itself as a hub for inter and intra-regional SIDS cooperation.

• Trinidad (endorsed by AOSIS) –Proposal for a Global Compact reflecting the collective political will of SIDS to support implementation of the SIDS agenda.

• Intra and inter-regional collaboration and cooperation, sharing of best practices and successful initiatives; joint advocacy by SIDS through regional secretariats. (Preliminary meeting on the margins of the 2014 UNGA).

BEYOND SAMOA

Growing global recognition about small states in the

international system

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNC5um1_VUE

Some questions to think about:

• How do (Caribbean) small states survive in today’s world?

• Do (Caribbean) small states differ also in other respects? If so, how?

• What are the benefits and costs of being small?

• Is smallness an everlasting condition?