Introduction

In the years since Independence in 1962, Jamaica’s foreign policy has reflected the flux and reflux of international affairs. There has been continuity in the midst of change; and while the country has sought to deepen its traditional friendships and widen its network of allies, it has also experienced occasions of externally determined crisis and profound disagreement both within the Caribbean and in the wider world. Bearing in mind the profound changes which have taken place in the international sphere since independence, this may be an opportune time to examine some of the main initiatives and responses which have characterised Jamaican foreign policy over the last sixty years.