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Embassies and consular services for Caribbean
| Location | Service areas |
|---|---|
| Embassy of the Republic of Suriname | |
| High Commission for Barbados | |
| High Commission for Jamaica | |
| High Commission for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas | |
| High Commission for the Cooperative Republic of Guyana | |
| New Zealand High Commission to the Caribbean | Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Barbados, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago |
Our relationships in the Caribbean
New Zealand shares long-standing cultural, sporting, Commonwealth, and economic links with the Caribbean, and 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago, our oldest bilateral relationships in the region.
Our engagement with the Caribbean includes a strong focus on issues commonly faced by small island developing states (SIDS). New Zealand is a strong advocate for SIDS in international fora and our interests overlap with those of Caribbean partners. Most recently, New Zealand supported Antigua and Barbuda in its hosting of the fourth United Nations SIDS conference in May 2024.
New Zealand also shares with the small states that comprise the Caribbean region a commitment to the rules-based order and multilateralism. We have previously worked together with Caribbean states in the United Nations and Commonwealth on issues such as oceans management, transnational crime, and small arms trafficking, and we maintain common interests in these areas.
Formal connections
We have formal diplomatic relationships with the following Caribbean countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
We also have formal diplomatic relationships with two key regional organisations:
- Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
In addition, New Zealand partners with the region through a Development Cooperation Arrangement with CARICOM, originally signed in May 2014 and refreshed for a further three years in 2023. The Arrangement provides for regular bilateral High Level Talks that provide insights to the views of the Caribbean, and ensure that activities implemented under the Arrangement remain relevant and are responsive to requests from our partners. Engagement with CARICOM also complements our advocacy for SIDS and broader multilateral goals.
Trade and economic
We have a long, yet modest history of trade links with the Caribbean. Our exports largely comprise dairy products and meat, and our most significant imports from the region are spirits. A range of New Zealand companies are exploring service opportunities across the Caribbean, including in software technology and the energy sector.
Guyana is the fastest growing economy in the world. Although geographically part of South America, Guyana is culturally and historically part of the Caribbean and a member of CARICOM. It recorded the world’s highest real GDP growth rate in 2022 and 2023 (62.3% and 37.2% respectively), as a result of its booming oil and gas industry following the 2015 discovery of major offshore reserves. This high growth rate is expected to continue with potential opportunities for New Zealand businesses.
The latest information about New Zealand's trade profile with the Caribbean is available on the New Zealand Trade Dashboard(external link).
International Development Cooperation
New Zealand maintains a small but valued Caribbean programme and works with trusted delivery partners in the region, including multilateral and regional organisations. Our International Development Cooperation in the Caribbean draws, where possible, on New Zealand’s capabilities and expertise to develop partnerships in areas of renewable energy (with an emphasis on geothermal), climate smart agriculture, disaster risk management, and knowledge and skills development (including through scholarships).
The New Zealand Government funds the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships(external link) programme for international tertiary students or working professionals from eligible Caribbean countries to pursue higher education in New Zealand.
The non-resident Head of Mission operates a High Commission Fund to support small scale, community-based development projects. Funding is granted each year to a range of groups in Caribbean countries, in keeping with the New Zealand International Development Cooperation Programme's objective to support sustainable development in developing countries. Details of the Fund and application process are shared with development partners in the Caribbean every year.
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