Selected International Relationships

Chapter 19 completes the book by exploring some contemporary and selected issues in Jamaican foreign policy. It starts with an account of the historical relevance of membership in the Commonwealth and discusses the financial, institutional, economic, and other developmental advantages. It suggests that there have been differences in how various political administrations have regarded the organization and provides an account of the unsuccessful Jamaican bid for Secretary General of the Commonwealth. This ends with a discussion on attitudes towards the monarchy and the prospects for republicanism. The discussion continues with an evaluation of Jamaica’s strategic prioritization of some bilateral engagements even as it accords importance to membership in regional groupings such as CARICOM. In this vein, the traditional geopolitical, economic, historical links with the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are considered. The evolving relationship with China is traced from diplomatic connections in the Group of 77 to current dynamics with China as a rising power. Chapter 10 examines the motivations, inconsistencies, and benefits of Jamaica’s foreign policy with the European Union, Russia, the Middle East and select African states.