Small States & Great Power Relations: How do Caribbean SIDs Secure their Interests?

June 17, 2021

The Policy Center for the New South, in partnership with the Brussels Diplomatic Academy, will host a webinar under the theme “Small States & Great Power Relations: How do Caribbean SIDs Secure their Interests?”, scheduled on Thursday, June 17th, 2021 at 2pm Rabat time/ 3pm Brussels time. These are extraordinary and highly uncertain times. Great power rivalry and competition between the USA and China are at an all-time high; the world is still in the grips of an on-going pandemic. Post COVID-19 recovery will be a long drawn out process. In the midst of tensions between East and West there are some who argue that a bifurcation of global systems will take place as the World Order continues to evolve and global value chains experience some degree of uncoupling as a result of both the effects of the pandemic and existing geopolitical tensions. In an evolving international structure small states need all the friends they can find. They have few opportunities and weapons in the soft power tool kit with which to lobby for and protect their interests. Coalitions and alliances matter. In this era of heightened tensions during which the economic and social effects of the pandemic will be long lasting, small states such as the SIDS of the Caribbean need to tread wearily, not wishing to be caught in tensions between East or West. In such a world, how do they influence global policies and secure their interests? Can they?

Speakers
Len Ishmael
Senior Fellow
Ambassador, Dr. Len Ishmael is a Senior Fellow of the Policy Center for the New South and a Senior Fellow and Distinguished Visiting Scholar of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. She is the Global Affairs Advisor of the Brussels Diplomatic Academy and visiting Professor of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the Mohammed 6 University, Morocco. Dr. Ishmael is a Commissioner on the Lancet Commission on COVID-19’s Regional Task Force for Latin America. She is the former Ambassador of the Eastern Caribbean States to the Kingdom of Belgium and European Union, and past President of the 79-member African, Caribbean & Pacific (ACP) Committee of Ambassadors in Brussels. She is a former Director & Head of the Regional Headquarters of the United Nations Economic ...
Eustace Wallace
Counsellor Political & Economic Affairs St Kitts & Nevis High Commission. Ottawa.
...

  • Authors
    Gabriela Keseberg Dávalos
    March 7, 2025
    La course pour le poste du prochain Secrétaire général de l’Organisation des Nations Unies (ONU), dont la désignation aura lieu en 2026, a commencé, discrètement. À l’occasion de la célébration de la Journée internationale des droits des femmes, il est opportun de réfléchir au fait qu’aucune femme n’a jamais dirigé l’Organisation en 80 ans de son ’existence. Même si le prochain Secrétaire général de l’ONU sera nommé en 2026, il est temps de se demander quel type de leader serait le ...
  • Authors
    Nabil Adghoghi
    Alexandre Parola
    Fábio Albergaria de Queiroz
    Paulo Eduardo Aguiar Saraiva Camara
    Ana Flávia Barros-Platiau
    Adnane Lahzaoui
    Guilherme Lopes da Cunha
    Jacintho Maia Neto
    Nizar Messari
    Melina Moreira Campos Lima
    Andreia Rute da Silva Baptista
    Carlos Henrique Tomé Silva
    March 5, 2025
    A country's areas of strategic interest are defined by its values, principles, and expectations. In this context, unprecedented opportunities are emerging for two key Atlantic States—Brazil and Morocco—to forge a mutually beneficial partnership. This premise underscores the deep-rooted social and geohistorical connections between both sides of the Atlantic. Recognizing this potential suggests that building stronger Atlantic bonds could advance shared interests, grounded in an evolvi ...
  • March 4, 2025
    شكلت قمة فوكاك 2024 لحظة حاسمة في مسار العلاقات الصينية الإفريقية، حيث تمخضت عن توقيع اتفاقيات كبرى تشمل قطاعات حيوية مثل البنية التحتية، الطاقة، التجارة، والصناعة. كما أعلنت الصين عن استثمارات بقيمة 50 مليار دولار لدعم التنمية في إفريقيا خلال السنوات الثلاث المقبلة، إلى جانب إطلاق عشر ...
  • Authors
    February 26, 2025
    Geopolitical tensions and competing interests define the Eastern Mediterranean's energy landscape. Vast natural gas reserves offer economic potential, but overlapping maritime claims and ongoing conflicts—particularly the Israel-Lebanon war and the Gaza conflict—threaten existing agreements and future projects. The European Union’s efforts to reduce dependence on Russian gas initially positioned the region as a key supplier, but escalating instability now puts these ambitions at ris ...
  • Authors
    Nizar Messari
    February 24, 2025
    Latin America was barely mentioned in US President Donald Trump’s 2024 electoral campaign. Expectations were that President Trump would remain uninterested in Latin America, while Latin America would show pragmatism and restraint in its dealings with him. However, surprisingly, Latin American has been at the forefront of Trump’s agenda since his re-election. Aside from migration, which was already prominent in Trump’s electoral campaign, although as an internal issue, there is also ...
  • February 21, 2025
    In this episode, Steven Höfner explores the role of international foundations in regional governance and diplomacy. Where he emphasizes the significance of multilateral dialogue in promoting stability and cooperation, and highlights the importance of fostering transatlantic relationship...
  • February 19, 2025
    شهدت المنطقة المغاربية خلال عام 2024 انتخابات رئاسية في ثلاث دول محورية: موريتانيا، الجزائر، وتونس. جاءت هذه الانتخابات في سياقات سياسية واقتصادية مختلفة، مما أدى إلى نتائج متباينة أثارت جدلًا واسعًا حول مدى تأثيرها على استقرار المنطقة. في هذه الحلقة، سنناقش أبرز مخرجات هذه الانتخابات،...
  • Authors
    February 12, 2025
    يستكشف هذا العرض الحاجة الملحة إلى إحداث تحول في النموذج المعتمد حاليّا في عملية تقديم المساعدات الإنسانية، في سياق حالات النزاع وما بعد النزاع، في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا. ويدعو هذا العرض إلى تبني مقاربة ذات "بعد تنموي للمساعدات الإنسانية"، تجمع بين الإغاثة الفورية والأهداف التنموية على المدى الطويل. كما يدعو هذا المقال، من خلال تركيزه على محدودية المساعدات الإنسانية التقليدية، لا سيما في سياق الأزمات الطويلة، مثل: العراق، اليمن، لبنان وغزة، لضرورة تبني آليات تمويل مبتكرة، ...
  • Authors
    Roberto Razeto
    Michael Stopford
    February 10, 2025
    Tomorrow’s Voices: Artificial Intelligence, Communication, and the New Global Order" by Roberto Razeto and Michael Stopford is an eye-opening exploration of how communication—and the rise of artificial intelligence—are reshaping the world. In an era defined by climate crises, pandemics, and spiralling geopolitical tensions, the book reveals how language, diplomacy, and AI-driven technology can bridge divides and drive global solutions. In fact today’s daunting global challenges can ...