The Bahamas' Foreign Policy Priorities and Caribbean Relations.

Foreign policy must be at the forefront of the national conversation; there must be a dedicated, robust dialogue as many Bahamians remain fractured on many foreign policy issues. We have to articulate Bahamian's foreign policy attitudes with a degree of candor as fear and anxiety profoundly drive it. The initial part of this foreign policy dialogue is acknowledging that the Bahamas lack a well-defined engagement strategy in the global community. How do we position the Bahamas, leverage our foreign policy, protect our national security interest, and secure a sustainable prosperity with emerging economies while mutual benefiting from a common interest.

There is an entirely misguided consensus argued that the Bahamas struggles to maintain a relationship between China and the United States due to some fabricated political implications that may be imposed on The Bahamas from the United States for our deepened relationship with The People’s Republic of China.The geopolitics of the issue is visible The United States is strengthening its presence and engagement in Asia, and China is increasing its presence and engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean. The politics of that matter are none of our business, our responsibility is highlighting the importance of our national interest, strategic interest, especially in the context of the rise of China, and maintaining our economic interest with western economies, in particular, the United States to preserve our shared democratic values. The Bahamas has always enunciated the importance and the shared benefits of The United States and The Bahamas bilateral relationship while rationalizing the potential of an emerging economic relationship with China.

The immediate concern about the lack of a publicly clear foreign policy or an engagement strategy in a global community makes the Bahamas vulnerable to domestic criticism and speculation that propels fear due to our inability to satisfactorily demonstrate and educate the Bahamian people on the advantages of cooperation with countries. The Bahamas should continue to support the development of China’s relationships with its allies and countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. The Bahamas should also continue to deepen both its strategic and economic cooperation with emerging economies while mutual addressing the domestic dynamics and the public perceptions in regards to their relationship and policies with other countries. 

A proper conversation encourages the critical understanding of the multiple influences on the formulation, implementation, and transformation of Bahamian foreign policy. To the fullest degree to restore confidence and trust in The Bahamas involvement in a global community, perhaps we should engage all stakeholders from the government, private sector, and the community to illustrate how it benefits our national interest. For those Bahamians who have a permissible concern over a possible backlash from the United States over China's economic and political development in The Bahamas which may manufacture a strong adverse reaction can be addressed with a China-Bahamas-U. S. trilateral dialogue, which could be used as a platform to discuss matters of mutual interest.

We have a responsibility to explore the economic rationale and strategic imperative of a beneficial foreign policy agenda from the perspective of the Bahamas and to promote an understanding of international issues. We must examine the trade-offs between all countries with the Bahamas and also consider the impact that increased engagement with other nations has on domestic growth, development, and security. Negotiation of countries and agreements must be guided by a continued sense of transparency to address concerns that have been raised and create greater domestic support.

The Bahamas foreign policy priorities and focus must be the advocacy of human rights. Developing international markets for Bahamians, attracting productive foreign direct investment that contributes to The Bahamas' economic prosperity, leveraging our relationship with emerging economies, strengthening The Bahamas tourism industry, enhancing The Bahamas global reputation, and identifying and securing educational and trade opportunities for our country. Those priorities must be the catalyst to securing our future through our foreign policy agenda.

Foreign policy is never expected to be a major focus area due to complex domestic issues. Now it is seen as an instrument arguably, an indispensable part of The Bahamas national strategy. No government can ignore the importance of foreign policy, certainly not one that has promised to diversify the Bahamian economy. It is fair to ask whether we should be concerned about the future Caribbean when dire developments are threatening the economic interests of The Bahamas.We have ineffectively leveraged the economic and social diversification of the Caribbean. If CARICOM is going to work in our best interest, it's imperative that we act as a regional society. Caribbean nations have to go from sovereignty to interdependency, from a national interest to a mutual interest. From unilateralism to reciprocity, from assertiveness to respect, from competing blocs to regional networks, from fixed alliances to various coalitions, from predominance to bargaining for compromise, and from promoting a single economic model and political values to promoting the-the coexistence of diverse economic models and political systems. We have to stress the common interests we share in a regional society to determine the mechanisms that underpin the way countries in the Caribbean and people cooperate across borders.

While many Bahamians remain skeptical of further integration with our Caribbean friends due to concerns over their lagging economic recovery, it's tempting for them to focus solely on these disadvantages and defer themselves from seeing any possible opportunities.We must be responsible in our foresight not making mistakes in understanding the significance of building a regional consensus for advancing broader collaboration that can be pivotal for greater economic and social integration providing access to new opportunities for promoting development and increasing regional economic prosperity. This will strengthen the region economic security along with The Bahamas.

The Bahamas forming economic alliances with its the Caribbean and Latin American partners are an imperative. Building a stronger economic and political cooperation must be the centerpiece of the social and economic advancement of the CARICOM community. The Caribbean problems cannot be solved if The Bahamas do not accept its full share of responsibility for addressing it.The Bahamas can not abandon the sense of regional responsibility despite some of its citizens whom ignorantly urge them to do so. Many Bahamians have an insular ideology more attuned to their direct needs and are uninterested of those in the wider region not understanding that what occurs in the Caribbean eventually will threaten The Bahamas primary security interests as well as its economic well-being. Bahamians should never be encouraged to believe that the Bahamas are immune to the troubles within the region.

CARICOM has serious issues to address in the region from political, social, and economic challenges confronting Haiti to the subject of food security, regional security, global warming, and the sustainability of the region's Financial Service sector. It's imperative that people of the Caribbean benefit from the unique economic and political partnership of CARICOM.The Caribbean collaboratively can become the center of a new economic system leveraging our human capital and natural resources and attributes. The Bahamas must show the region how, together with our partners and friends around the Caribbean, we can create a better, more secure and prosperous region for all.

By Latrae Rahming

Email [email protected]

Phone: 376-8602