Of regionalism and multilateralism: Responses to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' volcanic eruption - by Shineco Sutherland

So...some time has passed since I last visited this Blog😅. Well, here goes my attempt at reacquainting myself with writing. 

If one were to do a search on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) at the moment, the results are more than likely to surround the ongoing eruption of its volcano, the La Soufriere. The volcano erupted explosively on the 9th of April, 2021 some 42 years after its last eruption in 1979. As someone currently living through the eruption, I can identify many different angles from which one can analyse its impacts and implications. Such angles can include food security; the psychological impacts on families and communities; the  multiplication of economic costs previously highlighted by other market shocks, including the Covid-19 pandemic. However, in the spirit of this blog, I settled on discussing the regionalism and multilateralism that are visible in the disaster response. In this context, regionalism refers to the relationships between countries in a particular region that is different from how the same countries interact with others that are not part of the relationship. This can be seen in the relationship of Caribbean countries in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Multilateralism refers to the relationships between countries on the global stage. Multilateralism can be seen in organisations such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisations. If you are interested in reading my thoughts on displays of these two themes in SVG's disaster response efforts, please continue reading. 

In the paraphrased words of a former lecturer "The Caribbean's (focusing on the English speaking Caribbean countries here) regionalism is necessary but remains problematic". What does this mean? Well, it means that the Caribbean Islands need each other - to boost their collective bargaining power, to enhance their ability to access economies of scale, to provide support as first responders to disaster response when necessary. However, the regionalism efforts in the Caribbean  remain problematic, for a variety of reasons including their similar political and economic characterisations which often leads to:

1. Islands competing against each other for similar markets (primarily tourism), which creates a difficult environment to incentive genuine regional efforts
   
   
2. The islands face the same resource challenges and are characterised by relatively similar growth rates. This therefore denies the opportunity for any one island to foster "game changing" development opportunities for the region. This then incentivises the islands to develop relationships with other countries or region, which weakens from the regional efforts. 

Lets take a closer look at the disaster response efforts for SVG's volcanic eruption as an example of the regionalism efforts to see some of the elements on display. In light of the dark times which currently pervade via COVID-19, the volcano's eruptions and a host I other factors, I will focus on the positives by discussing the "necessary" elements of the Caribbean's regionalism which were evident in the disaster response efforts.

The agency at the heart of the scientific monitoring of the volcano's activity is the University of the West Indies' Seismic Research Centre (UWI SRC), a regional entity. The UWI SRC actively monitors seismic activity in the Caribbean but has established a physical presence in SVG since effusive eruptions (Such things are now added to my vocabulary😅) began in December 2020. The UWI SRC team has maintained a physical presence up to the date of this article and continue to be an invaluable resource in the managing of the seismological risks. This regional agency has increased the economic feasibility of acquiring and deploying scientific resources that were absolutely vital in avoiding fatalities from the volcanic eruption. It also allowed for a quick deployment of the scientific resources, particularly important in the COVID-19 era which has made travelling a complicated undertaking. It goes without saying that such benefits are more than welcomed for small island developing states with their inherent resource challenges. 

Another notable element of the regionalism on display was the deployment of relief aid in areas such as food and water; bedding; security forces, etc. The outpouring of these things from SVG's regional neighbours has undoubtedly mitigated humanitarian crises and has augmented the efforts of the government's emergency management response. For example, Trinidad deployed military personnel and emergency relief supplies; Saint Lucia, Cuba and Venezuela coordinated relief supply; the Barbados' defense Force delivered relief supplies. The geographical location of these neighbours likely made logistical arrangements less complex and reignited a kinship that is undergirded by a shared culture, history and language. In other words, neighbours in close geographical proximity are invaluable lines of first response that are not easily duplicated, particularly in circumstances of urgent need. 

The multilateral environment also has a role to play in SVG's disaster response. For example, a UN appeal was launched to appeal for funds required to  augment the disaster response efforts; international artistes will participate in a concert aimed at fundraising for disaster relief; the World Bank activated a USD 20 million disaster response fund for SVG. The resources generated from these efforts will  be invaluable for SVG's disaster response efforts. It will also allow SVG to access the resource pool of the more developed and better resourced countries, organisations & entities.   

One can easily engage in many debates on whether regionalism and multilateralism can coexist but the disaster response efforts in SVG discussed here provide an example of their complementary nature.