Bilateral and Multilateral Co-operation

Saint Lucia has strong bilateral and multilateral relationships with a number of countries. Bilaterally, Saint Lucia maintains strong relationships with its closest neighbours such as Barbados, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Many of the relationships are supported and advanced through regional multilateral institutions, which Saint Lucia is a member of, for example the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the Caribbean Community and Common Market Organisation (CARICOM) and Eastern Caribbean Currency Union under which Saint Lucia shares a common currency with seven other countries and territories. CARICOM formulates policies regarding issues such as health, education, labour, foreign policy and environment. Far afield, Saint Lucia maintains close bilateral relationships with a number of developed countries including Japan. Saint Lucia received US$6 million financial and technical assistance from Japan through the Japan International Cooperation agency (JICA) in 2009.  In addition to regional organisations mentioned above St Lucia is also a member of the the Organization of American States, UN and the Commonwealth.