Executive Summary
The foreign policies of small states are often dominated by economic considerations both in relation to the general lack of diplomatic resources and the fact that economic development is the main goal of foreign policy. This accurately describes the Jamaican case.
Jamaica’s foreign policy often exhibits a “translation dilemma,” whereby ostensibly economic growth-inducing agreements are signed, but the country fails to realize the consequent economic potential. Jamaica’s experience with the Sugar Protocol under the Lomé Agreement is a prime example of this “translation dilemma.”
Jamaica currently finds itself in a precarious position vis-à-vis the international economy. Aid and other forms of developmental assistance have dried up as our traditional preferential access to European markets is coming to an end. China and Latin America are two new poles attracting our foreign policy attention, but more detailed cost-benefit analyses need to be conducted to ascertain the extent to which developmental benefits will accrue from our engagement with these regions. Jamaica should seek to further integrate with North America, since this region represent the leading export destination, a leading source of remittances, and the home of a large segment of the diaspora.
In view of the way forward, Jamaica needs to consistently apply a pragmatic approach to the formulation of foreign policies, emphasizing the need to translate agreements into concrete economic benefits, thereby using our limited diplomatic capital to the most beneficial end.