At a Glance
Alliances & Memberships
- UN
- CARICOM
- OECS
- Commonwealth
- ALBA
- AOSIS
Foreign Policy Overview
Climate-vulnerable; ALBA member with closer Venezuela/Cuba ties; geothermal energy push.
Key Positions on Major Issues
Climate resilience; loss and damage; reparations.
UN Voting Record Notes
CARICOM/ALBA mix; often pro-Palestine.
Economy & Trade
Dominica is a lower-middle-income service-based economy heavily dependent on tourism and agriculture, specifically bananas and root crops. The "Citizenship by Investment" (CBI) program is a vital fiscal pillar, contributing significantly to public infrastructure and climate resilience projects. With the East Caribbean Dollar (XCD) pegged to the USD, its primary trade partners include the US, Trinidad and Tobago, and the UK. The nation is increasingly pivoting toward a green economy, aiming to become the world’s first climate-resilient nation through geothermal energy development.
Military & Security
Dominica does not maintain a standing army; internal security and maritime patrol are handled by the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force, which includes a Special Service Unit and Coast Guard. Defense is bolstered by the regional RSS (Regional Security System) treaty, which provides for collective self-defense among Eastern Caribbean states. Total security spending remains low as a percentage of GDP, focused primarily on anti-narcotics trafficking and disaster response. The nation is a non-nuclear state and a signatory to the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
Recent History
Since the 1990s, Dominica's foreign policy has been defined by the transition from a banana-dependent economy to one focused on services and disaster resilience. The devastation caused by Hurricane Erika (2015) and Hurricane Maria (2017) fundamentally shifted the national agenda toward the 'Climate Resilient Nations' initiative. Politically, the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) has maintained a long tenure under PM Roosevelt Skerrit, fostering close ties with China (switching recognition from Taiwan in 2004) and Venezuela. This period has seen Dominica become a vocal advocate for the Global South in climate negotiations. Recently, the government has faced international pressure to reform its CBI program to meet EU and US security concerns, leading to increased regional vetting transparency.
International Memberships
- Caribbean Community (CARICOM)since 1974
A key regional integration block providing economic and political cooperation.
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)since 1981
Core member of the sub-regional economic union sharing a common currency and supreme court.
- ALBA-TCPsince 2008
Dominica maintains strong ties with Venezuela and Cuba through this ideological and economic alliance.
- United Nationssince 1978
The primary global forum where Dominica leads on SIDS (Small Island Developing States) issues.
MUN Negotiation Profile
CARICOM / G77 / SIDS / ALBA-TCP
Moralist and advocacy-driven; focuses on 'Climate Justice' and 'Debt Relief' for vulnerable nations. Often bridges the gap between the Caribbean and the Bolivarian bloc.
- Attempts to restrict or over-regulate Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs without providing alternative development financing.
- Any climate policy that does not include mandatory 'Loss and Damage' funding from developed nations.
- Infringement on national sovereignty regarding relations with partners like China, Cuba, or Venezuela.
- "The international community must fulfill the 100-billion-dollar climate finance pledge with a focus on grants, not loans."
- "Global financial architecture must be reformed to include 'vulnerability indices' rather than just GDP per capita."
- "Urgent implementation of the Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) for Small Island Developing States."