St. John's -- March 24, 2009 -- Fresh from his recent victory at the polls Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer who has retained the Foreign Affairs portfolio in the new Administration has already taken definitive steps to implement aspects of the UPP Manifesto. In its manifesto titled Defending the Nation, the United Progressive Party clearly articulated the importance of South-South partnerships as an avenue for realizing development through diplomacy.

The concept of ALBA - i.e. the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of America - was first articulated by Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez in 2004. The grouping currently includes Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Dominica. However, Antigua & Barbuda along with St. Vincent and the Grenadines publicly expressed support for the principles enshrined in ALBA as far back as February 2007. At that time Prime Minister Spencer indicated that a firm decision on Antigua's participation in ALBA would be contingent on an analysis of the implications for the country's obligations as a member of CARICOM and called for the necessary analysis to be conducted in this regard.

In his report titled ALBA, PETROCARIBE and CARICOM: Issues in a New Dynamic and published in May 2008, Professor Norman Girvan concluded that participation in ALBA did not conflict with any obligations enshrined in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The findings of Professor Girvan's report paved the way for Antigua and Barbuda to advance towards accession to ALBA.

Non-reciprocity in trade arrangements and payment obligations are two of the primary features of ALBA. These features effectively address the need for special and differential treatment of small and vulnerable economies such as Antigua and Barbuda. In the upcoming months the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be engaging Venezuela and the other members of ALBA with the view towards formalizing its participation in this important and promising vehicle for South-South collaboration.

ALBA PRINCIPLES AND 'RULES'
As set out in Joint Statement (Venezuela-Cuba) for the Creation of ALBA, 14/12/2004,

  • Trade and investment to be instruments of fair and sustainable development with effective participation of the State
  • Special and differentiated treatment for participating countries according to their level of development and size
  • Economic complementarity and cooperation between countries to preserve efficient and productive specialization and balanced economic development
  • Cooperation and solidarity for a Continental fight against illiteracy and the provision of free healthcare and a scholarship programme.
  • Creation of a Social Emergency Fund
  • Integrated development of communications and transport
  • Protection of the environment
  • Energy integration
  • Promotion of intra-Latin American Investment through a Latin American Investment Bank, a Bank of Development of the South and a Latin American Society of Reciprocal Guarantees
  • Defense of cultural identity: creation of TELESUR.
  • Intellectual Property Rights to protect the patrimony of the region while not becoming an obstacle to cooperation
  • Harmonization of positions in multilateral fora, including democratization of international organizations particularly the United Nations system.