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This regional scenario creates the potential to consolidate what we could refer to as “Getting closer to our neighbours”, this being understood as the process of becoming familiar with the various regional markets and exploring market opportunities in the context of our natural border, built around the Caribbean Sea and the countries that form part of this space. Nevertheless, the difficulties encountered by entrepreneurs of the region in this process of “exploring opportunities” in neighbouring markets tacitly represent a “natural obstacle” to this process.
One of these obstacles is the lack of substantial trade information and even more so, the cultural and linguistic differences per se of the region. The companies of the region that have commenced their internationalisation phase are mostly SME’s, which need to stimulate their market research processes and quickly adjust to the demands of the environment.
It is precisely in this scenario that the Trade Promotion Organisations (TPO’s) enter the picture to play a fundamental role in supporting companies, generating trade intelligence information that would support marketing decisions and provide knowledge on markets and their opportunities. The Association of Caribbean States has achieved a unique space within which the Trade Promotion Organisations of the Greater Caribbean can share their best practices, strengthen the communications network and exchange information on their markets, through the Forum of Trade Promotion Organisations of the Greater Caribbean , which is held annually in a different country of the region.
This year, the eighth instalment of the forum was held in Panama on March 6, where the representatives of the trade promotion organisations of various countries in the region, including El Salvador , Aruba , Curacao, Panama, Mexico , Costa Rica , Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago and Puerto Rico, just to name a few, were afforded the opportunity to exchange ideas on possible mechanisms to establish a communications network among them that would help create a trade intelligence model for the benefit of the entrepreneurs of the region.
Initiatives such as this Forum must be promoted at the regional level in order to create concrete mechanisms that would consolidate the flow of trade information and encourage the strengthening of inter-institutional co-operation ties.
Intra-regional business and trade will increase in so far as we promote and implement greater communication and dialogue among the very institutions that promote them.
Paola Vacca is the Trade Adviser of the Association of Caribbean States. The opinions expressed are not necessarily the official views of the ACS. Comments and reactions can be sent to mail@acs-aec.org
April 4, 2007
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| Read previous columns: |
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COLUMNS |
DATES |
| Entrepreneurs of the Region on the road to integration |
March 28 , 2007 |
| Poverty Alleviation through Tourism |
March 23 , 2007 |
| The Rio Summit reinforces Regional Integration |
March 15 , 2007 |
| The Joy of Living in the Caribbean |
March 8 , 2007 |
| 8th Business Forum of the Greater Caribbean to support Trade among ACS Countries |
March 1 , 2007 |
| H20 |
February 15 , 2007 |
| A New Historical and Geographical Interpretation of the Greater Caribbean |
February 8 , 2007 |
| TMinisterial Council supports tourism |
January 31, 2007 |
| The Youth Revolution |
January 25, 2007 |
| New UN Resolution on the Caribbean Sea |
January 17, 2007 |
| An Agenda of Peace and Development for 2007 |
January 10, 2007 |
| King Henry I of Haiti: a notable builder |
December 21, 2006 |
| Social Exclusion Radicalises the Vote |
December 14, 2006 |
| Regionalism and the Golden Elephant |
December 4, 2006 |
| Poverty is a threat to Peace |
November 30, 2006 |
| The Rum Dialogue in the Greater Caribbean |
November 23, 2006 |
| Making tourism sustainability work |
November 16, 2006 |
| The Uncertainty of our Times |
November 9 , 2006 |
| Democratic Expansion of the Panama Canal |
November 1 , 2006 |
| If You Build It… |
October 26 , 2006 |
| The ACP Countries Unite the Cultural Roots of the Caribbean |
October 17 , 2006 |
| Business Forum of the Greater Caribbean |
October 11 , 2006 |
| The Caribbean Sea: A Constant in the ACS Agenda |
September 28, 2006 |
| The Caribbean Must Take a Chance on Peace |
September 21, 2006 |
| Caribbean Festival of Arts reinforces Identity |
September 14, 2006 |
| UNTAPPED POTENTIAL IN “ROOTS TOURISM” |
September 7, 2006 |
| Debby Does Nothing |
August 31, 2006 |
| The Latin American and Caribbean Panama Canal |
August 24, 2006 |
| Emancipation Day in Trinidad and Tobago:
A highly aesthetic popular holiday |
August 17, 2006 |
| Strengthening Ties between Societies of Origin and the Diasporas is tantamount to Supporting Development |
August 9, 2006 |
| THE DREADFUL HORROR OF CONFLICT |
July 27, 2006 |
| The Zone Advances |
July 27, 2006 |
| Rough Season |
July 18, 2006 |
| New Players in the National Identity |
July 13, 2006 |
| Not in our Stars... |
July 6, 2006 |
| Another Berlin Wall on the horizon? |
June 29, 2006 |
| Haiti Targets Democratic Governance |
June 15, 2006 |
| All’s Well? |
June 8, 2006 |
| The Dilemma of Return for Migrant Generating Countries |
June 1, 2006 |
| Tourism: An agent of change |
May 25, 2006 |
| What’s in a name? |
May 11, 2006 |
| Transnationality – A New Phase of Migration |
May 4, 2006 |
| The Battle for the Caribbean Sea |
April 25, 2006 |
| PANAMA AND CUBA STRENGTHENING THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
April 12, 2006 |
| FRIENDLY SKIES II |
April 5, 2006 |
| THE BATTLE OF THE RAILWAY |
March 30, 2006 |
| Speaking of languages |
March 23, 2006 |
| INTERNATIONAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AND THEIR REPERCUSSIONS IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
March 14, 2006 |
| FRIENDLY SKIES |
March 7, 2006 |
| HAITI : Elections for Democracy |
March 2, 2006 |
| The Greater Caribbean - A Natural Space for Integration |
February 21, 2006 |
| Haiti. A New Chance |
February 14, 2006 |
| Security after Poverty |
February 7, 2006 |
| What's the Buzz |
January 31, 2006 |
| Terrorism. Migration. Excuse |
January 23, 2006 |
| Perspectives on Multi-Destination Tourism |
January 17, 2006 |
| The importance of Reciprocal Investment Protection |
December 8, 2005 |
| The Garifunas Integrating the Caribbean and Central America |
November 24, 2005 |
| Questions of Scale: Surviving Nature in the GC |
November 17, 2005 |
| Combatting the Fear of Migration |
November 10, 2005 |
| Time is Running out for the Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting |
November 3, 2005 |
| Historical Periods between Wars and Natural Disasters |
October 20, 2005 |
| Measuring Tourism Sustainability |
October 12, 2005 |
| Looking at the Berlin Wall from the War on Terrorism |
October 5, 2005 |
| TPO’s Serve Their Purpose |
September 20, 2005 |
| THE NEW ORLEANS DISASTER. EVEN IN THAT IT’S CARIBBEAN |
September 13, 2005 |
| NO BLISS |
September 7, 2005 |
| CLIMATE CHANGE AND TOURISM |
August 23, 2005 |
| NEW HOPES IN THE WTO |
August 16, 2005 |
| THE VIEW FROM THE TOP |
August 10, 2005 |
| EDUCATION FOR RACIAL CO-EXISTENCE |
July 28, 2005 |
| THE ACS TOWARD THE SUMMIT |
26 July, 2005 |
| DON'T FOLLOW THE LIZARDS |
18 July, 2005 |
| NO OBITUARIES PLEASE |
11 July, 2005 |
| PARLIAMENTARIANS AND TRADE REGULATIONS |
04 July, 2005 |
| NATURE HAS NO HISTORY |
27 June, 2005 |
| HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? |
21 June, 2005 |
| DEVELOPMENT, DEMOCRACY AND POLITICS |
14 June, 2005 |
| EUROPE AND THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
03 June, 2005 |
| CULTURE OF PEACE BETWEEN DOMINICANS AND HAITIANS |
31 May, 2005 |
| TOUGH TIMES FOR THE BANANA INDUSTRY |
24 May, 2005 |
| CITIZENSHIP AND DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT |
16 May, 2005 |
| KEEPING THE RIGHT BALANCE |
10 May, 2005 |
PRAISES FOR CARIBBEAN ART DURING THE TEN YEARS OF THE ACS |
03 May, 2005 |
| HAITI VISITED BY PEACE |
20 April, 2005 |
| NO INTEGRATION A LA CARTE |
05 April, 2005 |
| THE CARIBBEAN THEY LEFT US IS NOT THE ONE WE WANT |
29 March, 2005 |
| THE CHALLENGE OF CUSTOMS MODERNISATION AND FACILITATION |
22 March, 2005 |
| TRANSPORT IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
15 March, 2005 |
| REGIONAL LEADERSHIP MAKES INTEGRATION POSSIBLE |
08 March, 2005 |
| MULTILATERALISM AND REGIONALISM IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: MAXIMISING POTENTIALS |
02 March, 2005 |
| GOVERNANCE, INTEGRATION AND SECURITY |
23 February, 2005 |
| ANNOUNCING A GREAT CATASTROPHE |
15 February, 2005 |
| INTEGRATION AND PEACE. CARIBBEAN GOALS |
09 February, 2005 |
| EXPLORING TOURIST PROTECTION |
01 February, 2005 |
| THE NEW GEOGRAPHY OF WORLD TRADE |
25 January, 2005 |
| A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR REGIONAL CO-OPERATION |
17 January, 2005 |
THE UNCERTAINTY AND RISKS OF THE FUTURE
|
11 January, 2005 |
| THE POOR SUSIDISE DEVELOPMENT |
01 December, 2004 |
| CREATION OF THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PROGRAMME INTEGRATION OF THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
23 November, 2004 |
| THE RIO GROUP - A HISTORICE DATE WITH INTEGRATION |
12 November, 2004 |
| MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO IMPROVE TRADE AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF THE GREATER |
09 November, 2004 |
THE GREATER CARIBBEAN, A SPACE IN
INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION |
01 November, 2004 |
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October 26, 2004 |
| CHAGUARAMAS: FIRST WORKSHOP HELD ON THE APPLICATION OF TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
October 19, 2004 |
| THE CARIBBEAN SEA INITIATIVE |
October 08, 2004 |
| THE GONAIVES PACT |
October 01, 2004 |
| TOOLS FOR LIFE |
September 27, 2004 |
| HURRICANES ARE NATURAL AND DISASTERS ARE MAN-MADE |
September 20, 2004 |
| G-3 IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
September 13, 2004 |
| E-COMMERCE AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES |
September 06, 2004 |
| SUSTAINABILITY IN THE GREATER CARIBBEAN |
September 01, 2004 |
| SUSTAINABLE TOURISM – A CALL FOR ACTION |
Aug 24, 2004 |
| BUSINESS FORUMS: INSTRUMENT AIMED AT FACILITATING TRADE EXPANSION AMONG THE COUNTRIES OF THE CARIBBEAN |
Aug 11, 2004 |
| ACS - PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE |
Aug 04, 2004 |
| Bilateralism and Integration - The New Wave in World Trade |
July 14, 2004 |
| Toward The Analysis of The Sustainable Touristic Destination of The Greater Caribbean |
June 18, 2004 |
| The Latin American And Caribbean / European Union Summit: Multilateralism And Regionalism |
June 1, 2004 |
| Caribbean Tourism Ministers Support Sustainability |
May 17, 2004 |
| The Imminence of Intra-Caribbean Trade |
April 20, 2004 |
| Tourism in the Greater Caribbean: Towards the Implementation of a Sustainable Tourism Zone |
April 13, 2004 |
| Multilateralism and the ACS |
April 7, 2004 |
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March 17, 2004 |
| Historical Roots of the Haitian Crisis |
March 10, 2004 |
| CAFTA: A Grey Area for Central America |
March 3, 2004 |
| Four Challenging Years |
February 20, 2004 |
| ACS Agreements Signed |
February 18, 2004 |
| CAFTA: The Other Side of the Coin |
February 10, 2004 |
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January 27, 2004 |
| The Sustainable Tourism Zone of the Caribbean: Advances |
January 16, 2004 |
| ACS Ministers Ponder Progress |
December 5, 2003 |
| Mother Nature is not to be blamed |
November 27, 2003 |
| Fast changing trade environment |
November 21, 2003 |
| The Iberoamerican Summit and Multilateralism |
November 17, 2003 |
| Caribbean Connections |
November 11, 2003 |
| A Virtual Market for the Greater Caribbean |
November 3, 2003 |
| Obstacles to Trade in the Greater Caribbean |
October 27, 2003 |
| SIDS and Regional Cooperation in the Greater Caribbean |
October 17, 2003 |
| TNC MEETING-A TALE OF TWO FTAAs |
October 10, 2003 |
| Natural Barriers to Sustainable Development |
October 7, 2003 |
| EXPECTATIONS CONFIRMED IN CANCUN |
October 2, 2003 |
| REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON TOURIST SAFETY |
September 23, 2003 |
| From Doha to Cancun |
September 16, 2003 |
| PROTECTING HOMES AND HUMAN LIVES |
September 10, 2003 |
|
August 27, 2003 |
| Trade negotiations and labour standards |
August 20, 2003 |
| Wanted: Regional Tourism Security Network |
August 13, 2003 |
| In Unity there is Strength |
August 6, 2003 |
| Keeping the Right Balance |
July 30, 2003 |
| Negotiating sustainable tourism |
July 23, 2003 |
| ACS OKAYS TRANSPORT AGREEMENT |
July 14, 2003 |
| ASSESSING THE CARICOM SUMMIT |
July 8, 2003 |
| CARICOM’S GOVERNANCE: NO TIME FOR INACTION |
June 30, 2003 |
| A NEW TWIST TO DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT |
June 21, 2003 |
| Adding Value to the Region |
June 18, 2003 |
| Should BWIA and LIAT Merge? |
June 6, 2003 |
| TRADE AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT |
June 1, 2003 |
| Making global trade work for people |
May 26, 2003 |
| CAFTA: DISPUTE RESOLUTION, LABOUR AND THE ENVIRONMENT |
May 17, 2003 |
| Convergence and Divergence in CAFTA |
May 12, 2003 |
| UPDATE ON CAFTA |
May 5, 2003 |
| Social Cohesion and the FTAA |
April 26, 2003 |
| Missed deadlines |
April 19, 2003 |
| Airline Integration: Biting the Bullet |
April 12, 2003 |
| Regional Airlines in Crisis |
April 5, 2003 |
| Economic collateral damage |
March 31, 2003 |
| Multilateralism under stress |
March 24, 2003 |
| In the shadow of war |
March 15, 2003 |
| Euroregion in a Caribbean Space |
March 8, 2003 |
Pan-Caribbean Security System Needed
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February 28, 2003 |
| Crime and Caribbean Security (3): Cannabis Connections |
February 21, 2003 |
Crime and security (2): The Caribbean Corridors |
February 15, 2003 |
| Crime and Human Security in The Caribbean (1) |
February 7, 2003 |
| Caricom's Mixed Fortunes In 2002 |
February 1, 2003 |
| Cuba, Dominican Republic and Panama in 2002 |
January 27, 2003 |
| Central America in 2002: coffee crisis; remittances to the rescue |
January 19, 2003 |
| Tough Times in The Group of 3 |
January 10, 2003 |
| The lost half decade in Latin America and the Caribbean |
January 3, 2003 |
| 2002: Crime and corruption top the political agenda |
December 27, 2002 |
| From Nafta to Cafta |
December 20, 2002 |
| Ibero-Americans Mull Secretariat |
December 13, 2002 |
| Cuba, CARICOM Cement Ties |
December 9, 2002 |
| ACS raises $1.1 Million |
December 3, 2002 |
| ACS meets in Belize |
November 22, |
| Flood, Sweat and Tears |
November 15, 2002 |
| Can Caribbean Tourism be Reinvented? |
November 11, 2002 |
| Wilton Park Conference on Cuba |
November 1, 2002 |
| Caribbean-Central America Trade |
October 26, 2002 |
| Two Thirds Of Central Americans Favour Regional Integration |
October 21, 2002 |
| Facilitating OCT Cooperation |
October 11, 2002 |
| Europe's Remaining Dependencies |
October 4, 2002 |
| Be Offensive in Services |
September 27, 2002 |
| Services In The Island Caribbean: Neglect Them At Your Peril |
September 20, 2002 |
| Caricom's Trade Negotiations: A Daunting Agenda |
September 13, 2002 |
| Regional Cooperation in the Private Sector |
August 31, 2002 |
| National Politics, Regional Economics |
August 23, 2002 |
| Economic Contraction and Fiscal Crisis in the OECS |
August 16, 2002 |
| South American Summit: A Strategic Opportunity |
August 9, 2002 |
| Human Development in the Caribbean |
August 2, 2002 |
| Problems with UNDP Governance Indicators |
July 26, 2002 |
| Relaunch of Central American Integration |
July 19, 2002 |
| The Caribbean Sea is special |
July 12, 2002 |
| CARICOM and the ACS |
July 5, 2002 |
Treatment of Small Economies |
June 28, 2002 |
Economic Performance in the Island Caribbean |
June 21, 2002 |
Rum Talk |
June 14, 2002 |
| Multidimensional vs. Military Security |
June 7, 2002 |
| EU-LAC Summit: Side Shows and Hidden Agendas |
May 27, 2002 |
| US Farm subsidies will impact the Greater Caribbean |
May 17, 2002 |
Globalization not just Economics |
May 10, 2002 |
Tourism must be Sustainable |
May 2, 2002 |
Eu-lac Summit: Civil Society involvement |
April 26, 2002 |
| The EU and Central America: Conflicting Agendas |
April 19, 2002 |
| Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean: a Fragmented Partnership |
April 12, 2002 |
| Early warning for Natural Disasters |
April 5, 2002 |
| Monterrey Summit: Promises, Promises? |
March 28, 2002 |
| NAFTA Parity:Certain Restrictions Apply |
March 22, 2002 |
| Private Sector Mobilises |
March 15, 2002 |
| The Future is Here |
March 8, 2002 |
| Humanising the FTAA |
March 1, 2002 |
| US-Central America Free Trade Talks |
February 22, 2002 |
| Carnival realising the potential |
February 12, 2002 |
| Bridging Caricom and Central America |
February 6, 2002 |
| Special and Differential Treatment and the WTO |
February 1, 2002 |
| Protecting the Caribbean sea |
January 24, 2002 |
| Thinking the unthinkable - nuclear shipments |
January 17, 2002 |
| Caribbean airline cooperation - A $60 million question |
January 12, 2002 |
| A matter of Freedom |
January 4, 2002 |
| Towards the greater Caribbean zone of cooperation |
December 27, 2001 |
| Opec funding and the ACS |
December 20, 2001 |
| Consolidating the Greater Caribbean |
December 13, 2001 |
| Meeting in Margarita |
December 7, 2001 |
| Aids, Anthrax and the WTO |
November 29, 2001 |
| The Dilemma of the DOHA: New Round or No? |
November 22, 2001 |
| Rescuing Caribbean Tourism pt. 2 |
November 15, 2001 |
| Rescuing Caribbean Tourism pt. 1 |
November 9, 2001 |
| Business Co-operation and Caribbean Trade |
November 2, 2001
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| TRACKING THE FTAA |
October 26, 2001
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FTAA: DOES SIZE MATTER?
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October 18, 2001
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WAR AND RUMOURS OF WAR
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October 12, 2001
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THE QUIET REVOLUTION:
CIVIL SOCIETY AND GLOBALISATION |
October 4, 2001
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| DEVELOPMENT AS IF EQUITY MATTERED |
October 11, 2001
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| TERRORISM, TOURISM AND TRADE |
September 20, 2001
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| TOWARDS A COMMON POSITION ON SMALL ECONOMIES IN THE FTAA |
September 13, 2001
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