With shared cultural, historical, and political backgrounds, the AU and CARICOM are well-positioned to foster strong diplomatic engagements that could contribute significantly to promoting mutual development between the two regions.
The section begins by providing an overview of the key milestones and developments in the history of AU-CARICOM relations, emphasizing the timeline of events that have shaped this partnership since its inception. Following this, the following will examine the various diplomatic channels and platforms that enable effective communication and collaboration between the two organizations, which include bilateral meetings, joint initiatives, and regular dialogues.
Table 1 presents a summary of diplomatic engagements between various CARICOM (Caribbean Community) countries and AU (African Union) countries. The list of CARICOM countries is provided along the left column, from Antigua and Barbuda to Trinidad and Tobago. The corresponding right column indicates AU countries with which each CARICOM country has diplomatic relations. The table aims to show the existing connections between these two regional organizations, highlighting the potential for stronger collaboration and partnership.
Table 1: Diplomatic Engagements between CARICOM and AU countries
| CARICOM Country | AU Countries with which CARICOM Country has Diplomatic Relations | Notable Outcomes |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Rwanda | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| The Bahamas | Cameroon,Cape Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Barbados | Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia | AU-CARICOM Summit Barbados and Ghana signed an agreement |
| Belize | Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Zambia | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Dominica | Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Grenada | Republic of Congo | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Guyana | Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe | AU-CARICOM Summit Guyana and Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their relationship, particularly in the petroleum sector. The MoU aims to facilitate knowledge exchange and cooperation between both countries in the area of oil and gas, as well as promote collaboration on technical assistance, training, and capacity-building efforts. The MoU also includes provisions for visa-free travel between the two countries, which is expected to enhance mutual understanding, cultural exchanges, tourism, and business ties. |
| Haiti | Benin, Gabon, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte D’Ivoire, Liberia, Libya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Jamaica | Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Montserrat | AU-CARICOM Summit | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Saint Lucia | Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Libya, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Suriname | Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Libya, Maldives, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe | AU-CARICOM Summit |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe | AU-CARICOM Summit |
An analysis of the table reveals the following key points:
- Diplomatic connections exist between a majority of CARICOM and AU countries, indicating a broad network of relations.
- The number of diplomatic relations between individual CARICOM and AU countries varies, with some CARICOM countries like Antigua and Barbuda having diplomatic ties with 10 AU countries, while others such as Jamaica have diplomatic relations with 29 AU countries.
- Some AU countries feature more frequently as partners to CARICOM countries (e.g., Algeria, Egypt, Rwanda, and South Africa) while others have fewer connections (e.g., Djibouti, Eritrea, and Lesotho).
From this analysis, it can be concluded that although a framework for political partnership between CARICOM and AU countries currently exists, these diplomatic engagements appear not to be massaged to their full potential. There appears to be no significant outcome from the diplomatic engagements, indicating potential for improvement in the relationships. Proper utilization of these diplomatic connections could lead to advantages for both regions in terms of regional integration, trade, development, and collective bargaining for shared goals and interests.
