This policy brief advocates for the development of a sustainable and inclusive trade agenda for the Caribbean region, leveraging emerging trends in the global trading system to inform this strategy. Adopting such an agenda presents transformative opportunities for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). However, achieving these benefits requires the region to take greater ownership of its development trajectory by identifying clear priorities within the sustainable and inclusive trade framework.
The paper traces the evolution of the concepts of “sustainability” and “inclusiveness” in international law, including how they have emerged as established principles within international governance systems. It then explores the interaction between the “sustainability and inclusiveness” agenda and international trade and the increasing convergence of these agendas at the WTO, in bilateral and regional trade agreements, national and regional trade agendas, and international trade-related organizations. The authors outline the emerging trends in these new-generation trade agreements and discuss the strategies used to leverage trade as a tool for advancing sustainable and inclusive development goals.
Building on these insights, the paper provides a detailed situational analysis of the Caribbean, highlighting the region’s challenges and its competitive advantages in the context of trade. The authors propose a path forward for the region to use a sustainable and inclusive trade policy to maximize the benefits of international trade, concluding with specific recommendations for stakeholders to help advance the agenda.
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Recommended citation: Remy, J.Y. & Facey Wilson, P.G. (2024). A sustainable and inclusive trade agenda for CARICOM. Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) and Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services (SRC).
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