REGIONAL COOPERATION IN THE CARIBBEAN - THE ASSOCIATION-OF-CARIBBEAN-STATES

The newly formed Association of Caribbean States' (ACS) prospects for success at increasing cooperation among its members is evaluated. A co mbination of internal and external factors such as common concern with the deteriorating environmental quality of the Caribbean Sea and surr ounding land areas, creation of NAFTA and Mercosur, and changing inter national political alliances contributed to formation of the ACS. Desp ite the stress placed on diversity and fragmentation as obstacles to c ooperation within the region, it is argued that the Caribbean is less diverse than a number of individual countries elsewhere in the world. Past efforts to achieve international cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean are discussed and compared with the current effort. The paper concludes that the ACS faces numerous obstacles in the way of s uccess but that, if these obstacles can be overcome, the new organizat ion may pave the way for cooperation or even economic integration with in this important region.