(Awake, June 16), July 24, 1994, the establishment of the Association of Caribbean States. the

Association of Caribbean States founded on July 24, 1994, 37 members, including all countries in the Caribbean and is not independent of the island, with a total area of ​​more than five million square kilometers and a population of over 200 million, the annual national product a total value of $ 500 billion, the foreign trade volume of $ 180 billion. The aim of the Association of Caribbean States: to strengthen cooperation among the members, to safeguard their interests in the international community, and to promote economic and social development of the region, the realization of regional economic integration, and the eventual establishment of a vast free trade zone.
Association of Caribbean States was established more than a year later, on August 17, 1995, 18, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, the capital of the first session of the Summit of the League, on the fulfillment of its purposes should follow principles and specific actions to be taken in the future, and signed a "Statement of Principles" and "Action Plan" two documents, laying a solid foundation for future cooperation between the member states, to promote regional integration process. "Statement of Principles"
the Association of Caribbean States meeting by Caribbean countries, world economic regional blocs, trade liberalization and the increasing competition for capital and market challenges, cooperation between Caribbean countries to cope with this the best way of challenge. Caribbean countries are all developing countries, many of which is a small area of ​​the country is weak small and poor countries. Regionalization of the world economy, the Group tendency to them, especially those small and poor countries, causing enormous pressure. They have come together to form the Association of Caribbean States, the purpose is to strengthen the cooperation of survival and development. "Statement of Principles" provisions to promote regional integration process "must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states, respect for the autonomy of their people, respect for the rule of law, respect for democratic rights, respect for human rights, peaceful settlement of disputes". This important and targeted provisions, not only guide the the Caribbean Union member countries and toward the fundamental principles of integration and listen to the neighboring United States, but also from the side. The United States has always been to Latin America and the Caribbean as their own backyard, inclined to give not listen to the command of the national implementation of the blockade and even the use of force. The Caribbean, one of the members of the League of Cuba just because independently choose their own development path blocked by the United States as long as 30 years, where countries have trade relations with Cuba by U.S. sanctions and intimidation. The Caribbean the National Union absorption Cuba accession actually indirect protest and oppose the U.S. hegemonic acts. One is reminded of the Caribbean Union Statement is intended to emphasize the principle of national sovereignty to the United States in the process of the establishment of a hemispheric free trade zone in the future, not hegemony, to respect his country's willingness.
Association of Caribbean States tourism, trade, transportation, determined to strengthen cooperation in the region initially give priority to the development of the project, and to develop a specific action plan. This is the choice made by the Caribbean countries according to the actual situation of the region's economic development. Tourism, trade, transportation is complementary to the basic sectors of the economy in the Caribbean countries, the development of these three sectors will drive the development of other sectors of the economy, the foundation-oriented countries in the region, the development of other aspects of cooperation in the future. The establishment of the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean began a new era of development. [L $ dj��.����T]