FOREIGN
RELATIONS
As a small
nation, the primary thrust of Barbados' diplomatic activity has
been within international organizations. The island is a member
of the Commonwealth and participates in its activities. Barbados
was admitted to the United Nations in December 1966. Barbados
joined the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1967.
On
July 4, 1973, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Jamaica
signed a treaty in Trinidad to found the Caribbean Community and
Common Market (CARICOM). In May 1974, most of the remaining English-speaking
Caribbean states joined CARICOM, which now has 14 members. Barbados
also is a member of the Caribbean Development Bank, established
in 1970, with headquarters in Bridgetown. The eastern Caribbean's
Regional Security System, which associates Barbados with six other
island nations, also is headquartered in Barbados. In July 1994,
Barbados joined the newly established Association of Caribbean
States (ACS).
Barbados
has diplomatic missions headed by resident ambassadors or high
commissioners in Canada, the U.K., the U.S., and Venezuela, and
at the European Union (Brussels) and the UN. It also has resident
consuls general in Toronto, Miami, and New York City. Brazil,
Canada, Colombia, China, Guatemala, the U.K., the U.S., and Venezuela
have ambassadors or high commissioners resident in Barbados.
U.S.-BARBADIAN
RELATIONS
In 1751, George Washington visited Barbados, making what is believed
to have been his only trip abroad. The U.S. Government has been
represented on Barbados since 1824. From 1956 to 1978, the U.S.
operated a naval facility in Barbados.
The
U.S. and Barbados have had friendly bilateral relations since
Barbados' independence in 1966. The U.S. has supported the government's
efforts to expand the country's economic base and to provide a
higher standard of living for its citizens. Barbados is a beneficiary
of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative. U.S. assistance is channeled
primarily through multilateral agencies such as the Inter-American
Development Bank, the World Bank, and the recently opened USAID
Caribbean Regional Program office in Bridgetown.
In May 1997, Prime Minister Owen Arthur hosted President Clinton and 14 other Caribbean leaders during the first-ever U.S.-regional summit in Bridgetown, Barbados. The summit strengthened the basis for regional cooperation on justice and counter narcotics issues, finance and development, and trade.
Barbados
also receives substantial counternarcotics assistance and is eligible
to benefit from the U.S. military's exercise-related and humanitarian
assistance construction program.
Barbados and U.S. authorities cooperate closely in the fight against narcotics trafficking and other forms of transnational crime. In 1996, the United States and Barbados signed a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) and an updated extradition treaty covering all common offenses, including conspiracy and organized crime. A maritime law enforcement agreement was signed in 1997. A popular tourist destination, Barbados had around 570,000 tourists in 2006, mainly cruise ship visitors. The majority of tourists are from the U.K., Germany, the Caribbean, and the United States. An estimated 3,000 Americans reside in the country.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Mary M. Ourisman
Deputy Chief of Mission--O.P. Garza
Political/Economic Counselor--Ian Campbell
Consul General--Clyde Howard Jr.
Regional Labor Attaché--Jake Aller
Commercial Affairs--Jake Aller
Public Affairs Officer--John Roberts
Peace Corps Director--Kate Raftery
The U.S. Embassy in Barbados is located in the Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael (tel: 246-436-4950; fax: 246-429-5246).
