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The Greater Caribbean This Week

In pursuit of the

interests of small states

by Watson R. Denis, PhD

There is no doubt that changes have taken place in the international system over the past 50 years. For example, decolonization in the 60s and 70s gave rise to a series of new states, some with large surface areas, others smaller, which are often considered as small states. The emergence of these new states has significantly transformed the system.

Generally, states are described as small (not necessarily poor or vulnerable) based on their limited geographical and population size, their modest material resources, or even their limited political influence in international relations. However, it is also true that a number of small states enjoy great prestige and international respectability, since, under no circumstances, should one equate, for example, the geographical size of a state, with the scale of its foreign policy.

Accordingly, in order to protect their interests in the international arena, small states adopt a policy of collaboration with their closest or even somewhat distant neighbours. In other words, they join international organizations and enter into strategic alliances within regional organizations. Such is the policy adopted, and it is in fact the most suitable one, to seek their interests, the security of their territories and their economic survival. In view of the abovementioned “smallness factors”, this is the surest means of achieving their foreign policy objectives.

In pursuit of these objectives, small states quite often avail themselves of the diplomatic instruments at their disposal. They place particular emphasis on the principles of international law opposed to military force. In times of armed conflicts and political upheaval, often in their quest to escape the battlefield, they are motivated to sign bilateral and multilateral agreements to protect themselves against international aggression. They are generally motivated by economic and financial cooperation with other states and entities, which are in a position to provide reinforcement and consolidate their foreign policy and alliances.

It goes without saying that despite their material weakness or economic and political limitations, many small states play a very active role in the international arena. They mobilize themselves within the international arena, and they sometimes give this precedence over individual factors or even their own state bureaucracy, in the quest for change, new diplomatic instruments, positions and decisions favorable to them. They plunge into the fray in pursuit of these objectives. Therefore, they look towards the preponderant actors in the international arena and the driving forces behind international policy. They seek to win the confidence of international actors in order to form partnerships with them. They also seek to identify the issues or powerful trends in international politics to get in tune with them.

All these reasons and objectives explain why small states exhibit the very natural tendency to become involved in regional and international organizations and to be covered under the laws, rules and conventions of the international system. This provides them with a safety valve at all levels. Their involvement guaranties their physical integrity and economic development. Additionally, it enables them to become stronger international actors (with other partners) and to have a greater impact on global affairs.

The involvement of small states in integration and cooperation organisations has become increasingly significant. And the Caribbean is very much a part of this. In the Greater Caribbean for example, organizations such as CARICOM, SICA and SIECA, are involved in the vast field of economic and political integration. Subsequently, the ACS was established as a space of dialogue for political consultation among the insular Caribbean, Central America and three Latin American countries, as well as to develop functional cooperation in four specific areas, namely Sustainable Tourism, Trade, Transport and Natural Disasters, and the protection of the Caribbean Sea, the common heritage of the region.

The establishment of the ACS constitutes a new step toward the political construction of the Greater Caribbean around the Caribbean Sea. These states themselves have created an entity to crystallize regional cooperation among the zones or sub-regional integration bodies. At the regional level, the states of the region (the vast majority of which are geographically small) have recognized the importance of cooperation in pursuing their interests strategically in a spirit of harmony and mutual assistance. At the international level, the entity created becomes a political instrument, with the fundamental goal of enhancing the politics of cooperation among themselves, and in this way, they look to becoming preponderant, or, at least, represent a united block to protect the interests of each member on behalf of all. The multilateralism of small states does not oppose their bilateral policies. It serves to strengthen their well-ordered bilateral policies at many levels!

Dr. Watson Denis is the Political Adviser at the Secretariat of the Association of Caribbean States. The opinions expressed are not necessarily the official views of the ACS. Comments and reactions can be sent to mail@acs-aec.org

Bernal, Dissent and violence
Gutman, Has America lost its moral compass?
Amnesty International, China lags in implementing human rights promises
Nasser, Gaza beyond the humanitarian and political perspectives
Weisbrot, The western mainstream media and Venezuela
Carmona, Climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean
Pilgrim, Another hurricane season in the Caribbean
Denis, Defending the interests of small states

Kellberg & Duncan, Haiti's cautious government

Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy, Repression in Guyana is a CARICOM issue

Schaeffer & Sánchez, Why Paraguay matters
Schaeffer, A scandal a day in Brazil while Lula was away

Lauer, The CAFTA referendum in Costa Rica

Jackson, Now that they're killing people...