OECS Origin The Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States, OECS, came into
being on June 18th, 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty,
agreeing to co-operate with each other and promote unity and solidarity
among their Member States. This treaty became known as the Treaty of
Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city where it was signed.
The member States of the OECS are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada
Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the
Grenadines.
The British Virgin Islands and Anguilla are associate members.
Treaty of Basseterre
The functions of the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States as
outlined in the Treaty of Basseterre are:
to promote co-operation among the Member
States and at the regional and international level;
to promote unity and solidarity among
the Member States and to defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity
and independence;
to assist the Member States in the
realisation of their obligations and responsibilities to the
international community with due regard to the role of the international
law as a standard of conduct in their relationships;
to seek to achieve the fullest possible
level of harmonisation of foreign policy among the Member States; to
seek to adopt, as far as possible, common positions on the international
issues and to establish and to maintain wherever possible, arrangements
for joint overseas representation and/or common services;
to promote economic integration among
the Member States;
to pursue these purposes through its
respective institutions by discussion of questions of common concern and
by agreement and common action.
OECS
Mission
Our mission is to be a major institutional player at the regional level,
contributing to the sustainable development of our member countries by
assisting them to maximise the benefits from their collective space, by
facilitating their intelligent integration with the global economy; by
contributing to policy and program formulation and execution in respect of
regional and international issues, and by facilitation of bilateral and
multilateral co-operation.
OECS
Objectives
As set out in the Treaty of Basseterre - to promote co-operation among the
Member States and to defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity and
independence; to assist the Member States in the realisation of their
obligations and responsibilities to the international community with due
regard to the role of international law as a standard of conduct in their
relationships; to establish and maintain wherever possible arrangements
for joint overseas representation and common services; to promote economic
integration among the member states; to pursue these through its
respective by discussion of questions of common concern and by agreement
on common action.
