Barbados–Germany relations

Barbadian–German relations

Barbados
Germany

Barbadian–German relations are foreign relations between Barbados and Germany. Barbados is represented in Germany through its embassy in Brussels, (Belgium) and Germany is represented in Barbados from its regional embassy for the Eastern Caribbean in Port of Spain, (Trinidad and Tobago)[1] and an Honorary Consul in Christ Church.[2] Barbados and Germany formally established diplomatic relations on 14 March 1967.

History

The Cenotaph War Memorial at National Heroes' Square in Bridgetown

From the late 1620s until 1966 Barbados constituted as a part of the British Empire and was a prominent regional base for British forces. In 1874 the German bark Pierre Buyper was wrecked on the coast of Barbados.[3] During World War I and II a number of Barbadian troops were enlisted with the British forces to fight in the war with Germany.[4] Twelve Barbados men made up the Second Barbados Contingent of Volunteers for the Armed Forces. They were recruited for the Royal Air Force. They left Barbados for England in November 1940 to fight against Germany. On 11 September 1942 German U-Boat U-514 (Auffermann) was patrolling the waters of Barbados where it torpedoed the Cornwallis steam merchant off the coastline of the capital city. The ship was brought ashore in Barbados before it was released and torpedoed a second time and sank. The shipwreck was later turned into a reef and Marine park.[4][5]

Trade

According to prize winning Barbadian novelist Austin Clarke, Barbados suffered economic hardship after it was nearly cut off from global trade by Germany.[6]

Barbadian and German economic trade are not very significant, the German government is one of the main stake holders in the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), which lends to the various territories throughout the Caribbean region.[7]

In 2008 Barbados was one of several Caribbean countries of the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries that signed a sweeping Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.[8]

Barbados receives substantial income from Germany from the spending by German tourists.[9] In 2002 German tourism to Barbados dropped by 23 percent.[10] Barbados's main exports to Germany are agricultural products.[9] Banks Barbados Brewery in Barbados imported over 1 million Barbadian dollars of computerized production equipment from Germany in 1994–1995.[11]

Tourism

Germans nationals travelling to Barbados for tourism remains one of the modern day cultural ties between both nations.[12] In 2010, the German airline Condor announced to Barbadian aviation officials that it would be doubling[13] its weekly flights between Barbados and Germany.[14]

Agreements

People

See also

References

  1. ↑ Germany and the East Caribbean Region
  2. ↑ Bilateral relations with Barbados (German)
  3. ↑ "Barbados, wreck of a German bark bound for New-York." (PDF). New York Times. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  4. 1 2 Metzgen, Humphrey (2007). Caribbean wars untold. University of West Indies Press. ISBN 976-640-203-5.
  5. ↑ Cornwallis (Steam merchant)
  6. ↑ Clarke, Austin (2000). Pig Tails'n Breadfruit: A Culinary Memoir. Random House of Canada. ISBN 0-679-31030-4.
  7. ↑ Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): Non-Regional Members
  8. ↑ "Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM states, of the one Part, and the European Community and its member states, of the other part". The European Union. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
  9. 1 2 "Barbados relations". German Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
  10. ↑ "Barbados reports decline in tourism". Associated Press. 24 February 2002. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  11. ↑ "'Bajan Beer' the art of Brewing at Banks". Caribbean Today. 1995. Retrieved 6 July 2009.
  12. ↑ M., R.S. (11 June 2010). "Tourists arrivals on the rebound". Barbados Advocate. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  13. ↑ B., J. M. (21 June 2010). "More arrivals from Germany as airlift increases". Barbados Advocate. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  14. ↑ Staff writer (14 June 2010). "Condor increases flights to Barbados from Germany". Caribbean Net News. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  15. ↑ "Treaties". Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados. Retrieved 5 July 2009.
  16. ↑ "Short-stay visa waiver agreements signed between EU and four Caribbean countries". Caribbean NetNews Newspaper. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  17. ↑ "Rupee". Toronto Lime. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 6 July 2009. Rupee, born Rupert Clarke, is the multi-ethnic son of a Barbadian father and a German mother. By the age of nine, he had lived in three completely different cultures – German, English, and Barbadian.

External links

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