The widening conflict in the Middle East is set to drive up food and fuel costs across the Caribbean, a regional advocacy group has warned, urging CARICOM leaders to condemn the targeting of civilian infrastructure as war crimes and accelerate the push towards regional self-sufficiency.
Suleiman Bulbulia, treasurer of the Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine (CAAP), told Barbados TODAY that the impact of the ongoing warfare, particularly involving Israel, the US and Iran, is expected to ripple across the Atlantic in the form of sharply rising costs.
He noted that the Caribbean’s heavy reliance on imports makes the region uniquely vulnerable to shifts in the global market.
“The impact of this war will definitely ripple throughout the world and the Caribbean will feel it,” Bulbulia said. “Already you’re seeing oil prices rise significantly and that will eventually get to us. It will increase the cost of shipping our goods, and we import most of our stuff, including food. That is definitely a cause of concern.”
Beyond the economic implications, Bulbulia expressed grave concern over what he described as a “flagrant disregard” for the rules of engagement and international diplomacy. He argued that the targeting of public infrastructure – including hospitals, roads and power plants – amounts to war crimes that the international community, including CARICOM, must condemn.
“What we are seeing in the world today is a lack of commitment to international rules and human rights,” Bulbulia said. “One wonders where it goes from here if they continue to get away with this with impunity. Today is Iran, tomorrow is some other country. Where does it end?”
Bulbulia urged CARICOM to leverage its diplomatic voice, drawing parallels to the region’s historic stance against South African apartheid. He suggested that the Caribbean must advocate for the rule of law to prevent a global return to a “Middle Ages” mentality where might determines right.
To mitigate the shock of such external crises, he proposed that the region accelerate its efforts towards self-sufficiency.
“How do we make the CARICOM countries self-sustaining in food?” he asked, pointing to the agricultural potential of Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica. “We need to start to find the resources that we have within this region and start to have those resources being used among ourselves rather than having to wait on the outside world.”
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