Recently, a close friend of mine said to me that a core aspect of Trini culture is to be solely preoccupied with our shortcomings, erasing the possibility of truly appreciating our accomplishments as a small-island developing twin-island republic.

It is with the intention of deviating from this aspect of ‘Trini culture’ that I reflect on some of the accomplishments attained by our country in the realm of foreign affairs.

From observing a series of bilateral and multilateral events that transpired throughout the first half of 2023, it can be noted that 2023 was a prosperous year for foreign affairs in T&T.

Said prosperity is rooted in the stark number of foreign-relations goals attained.

The prosperity is also cited in the number of high-level diplomats and other international key players who graced the T&T that journeyed to acknowledge Trinidad and Tobago’s remarkable progress in tackling some of the world’s most arduous challenges and ventilating matters of mutual interest.

Some critics argue that these visits and events are just ceremonies with little ability to create tangible improvements to the lives of the average citizen. However, from surveying the fruits of these activities, it should be sufficiently noted that such arguments bear no merit.

Kicking off the train of prosperity is T&T’s successful hosting of the Caricom Symposium on Crime, which served as an avenue for the region to engage in much-needed discussions on crime to modernise crime-prevention strategies.

This symposium allowed for the creation of a common understanding that a holistic approach is most apt in tackling crime as well as enhancing the cohesion within the region, which is in keeping with T&T’s foreign policy.

In May, a Japanese minister of foreign affairs visited T&T for the first time in 60 years, signalling the strengthening of diplomatic relations.

The visit facilitated the establishment of a joint task force which intends to facilitate collaboration in the realms of academic exchange, culture, tourism promotion as well as economic cooperation, providing T&T citizens with much-needed opportunities.

In June, WHO Director General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus visited Trinidad and Tobago to garner support for the pandemic accords and to laud T&T’s successful handling of the pandemic. His successful re-election was largely endorsed by T&T, demonstrating T&T’s influential participation in the multilateral arena.

In July, T&T hosted Caricom’s 50th anniversary celebrations, which attracted the attendance of key players in global politics such as the prime minister of South Korea, the president of Rwanda, the UN secretary-general, the US secretary of state, the minority leader in the US House of Representatives, and members of the diplomatic corps, firmly demonstrating the importance of the occasion.

Additionally, extensive conversations with the US caused American policymakers to enact exemptions that allow T&T to engage in explorations that were otherwise impacted by sanctions. Said explorations have the capacity to extend the lifeline of T&T hydrocarbon business, as well as foster energy efficiencies within the region.

The Canadian immigration ministry also eased some of the restrictions that made it difficult for T&T to visit Canada. And, T&T successfully nominated Dennis Francis as the president of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, providing a crucial seat at the multilateral decision-making table.

The noted activities are just a handful out of the basketful of bilateral and multilateral activities that transpired in 2023. However, commentators have attempted to conjure a viewpoint of Trinidad and Tobago ‘no longer being a leader’ within Caricom and, by extension, the geopolitical arena. However, they have erred terribly in developing a sound argument to support such a claim.

Amidst the many goals scored by T&T’s diplomatic instruments exist key challenges illuminating a path of how much more is left to be done. We should not allow said challenges to thwart our ability to appreciate our accomplishments as a country.

Darion Phillips
Mt St George