ABSTRACT
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries show large variations in size of population, geography and economy. This chapter identifies the concerns that have led these countries and territories to invest in a regional integration scheme, the challenges they face in maintaining the arrangement and the value that it continues to hold. It explores the drivers of regional integration, the tensions that have emerged, and their efforts to address these. CARICOM has its origins in concerns around size and viability. Outside of the inevitable concern about trade, CARICOM plays a significant role in coordinating efforts and pooling resources across a range of sectors, including health, education, agriculture, meteorology, climate change and food safety. One of CARICOM’s four pillars is cooperation in foreign affairs. CARICOM’s cooperation in foreign affairs is often difficult to disentangle from the economic realm. CARICOM also plays a crucial role in supporting the economic well-being of its members to what can be considered existential threats.
