For many years, international relations was narrowly perceived as a career path relevant only to those aspiring to the foreign service or formal diplomacy. This limited view overlooked the discipline’s central purpose: fostering peace and security, advancing cooperation, and addressing emerging global challenges that transcend national borders. For small island developing states (SIDS), particularly in the Caribbean, international relations has never been a luxury; it has always been a necessity for survival.

That reality was sharply underscored in 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic and a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. Suddenly, international relations was no longer abstract or theoretical; it was indispensable. Caribbean states, many of which depend heavily on tourism, global supply chains, and external markets, found themselves acutely exposed. No single country could respond alone.

Governments were compelled to cooperate by mobilising health professionals across borders, securing scarce personal protective equipment, sharing epidemiological data, and advocating collectively for equitable access to vaccines.

It became a race against time to understand a virus the world knew little about, to strengthen fragile health systems, and to protect lives and livelihoods simultaneously. For the Caribbean, the crisis was not only a public health emergency but also an economic and social shock, threatening employment, food security, and national stability.

Yet health crises are not the only challenges reaffirming the relevance of international relations.

Now more than ever, issues of international concern are re-emerging, some disturbingly reminiscent of history repeating itself. War, imperialism, and expansionism are not new phenomena; they have shaped the global order for centuries. The Russo-Ukrainian war, which escalated into a full-scale conflict in February 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, underscores this reality. While often framed as a contemporary geopolitical crisis, its roots stretch deep into historical tensions that trace back to the aftermath of the First and Second World Wars.

The responses of the United Nations, the European Union, and the wider international community through diplomacy, sanctions, humanitarian assistance, and multilateral coordination once again highlight the centrality of international relations in managing global conflict. For the Caribbean, such conflicts are not distant abstractions. They reverberate through higher fuel and food prices, supply chain disruptions, and economic instability, reinforcing the region’s vulnerability to external shocks.

Similarly, the long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine continues to test the international community. Decades of violence, failed negotiations, and humanitarian crises reveal the limits but also the necessity of diplomacy, mediation, and multilateral engagement. Global responses, whether through ceasefire negotiations, humanitarian aid, or international advocacy, once again highlight that peace and security cannot be achieved in isolation.

This interconnectedness was felt once again when Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, leaving destruction in its wake and underscoring the country’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters.

In the aftermath, there was a powerful outpouring of solidarity from international leaders, governments, private sector partners, regional institutions, and individuals across the global community. Financial assistance, technical support, relief supplies, and expressions of goodwill flowed into the country demonstrating that international relations is not only about managing crises but also about standing together in moments of shared humanity.

To date, more than seven million people have lost their lives to COVID-19. In its aftermath, the relevance of international relations is unmistakable. Across the Caribbean, the practice of international cooperation now extends beyond diplomats to health professionals, logisticians, scientists, advocates, and environmental planners. The pandemic reaffirmed a critical truth for the region: in a fragile global order shaped by health crises, climate change, and economic volatility, cooperation is not optional, it is existential. International relations, far from being confined to negotiating tables, is a living tool for resilience, recovery, and collective survival.

For the Caribbean, its diplomatic acumen in this regard will be tested more severely and brought into even sharper focus given recent developments which have resulted in the US apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, consequent upon his indictment in a New York court on charges of drug trafficking, corruption and narco-terrorism. In response, Caricom has issued statements expressing “grave concern” and calling for “peaceful dialogue” while confirming that it is “actively monitoring the evolving situation closely.”

Caricom members will be under no illusions as to their relative standing and importance in the global sphere, therefore, the ever-present need to both speak and act collectively on regional matters takes on even greater significance. While individual sovereignty dictates that each member state retains the right to advance their own position on matters of common interest, the region is undoubtedly stronger with a unified voice as far as is practicable. However, this imperative is complicated by the recent posture of Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has openly declared Caricom to be an “unreliable partner” at this time.

Such internal fissures could threaten the cohesiveness with which the region should act during times of crises.

The region’s relationship with Venezuela is complex, historically rooted in energy cooperation through the PetroCaribe agreement, trade, and diplomacy, but complicated by political instability in the South American country, with the pursuit of stability, peaceful dialogue, and economic support while navigating US pressure and regional security concerns, creating a delicate balance between economic necessity and political alignment. Tensions regarding territorial sovereignty, particularly for Guyana, highlights this balancing act even further, while differing positions on China and Taiwan reflect fluctuating dynamics based on diplomatic competition, shifting allegiances and pragmatic responses to geopolitical realities and economic opportunities.

For both Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, navigating the international relations landscape takes on added dimensions, requiring the ability to manoeuvre a vast range of considerations specific to SIDS including security threats, climate resilience, energy potential and managing relations with former colonial powers, while dealing with other inherent vulnerabilities which are frequently exposed. With the looming presence of the world’s largest economic and military superpower always in close proximity, domestic and regional foreign policy must be agile and responsive with sufficient tactical and strategic nous, recognising both the importance of regional integration in coordinating actions on the international stage, while individually managing crucial bilateral relationships with major global players.

As global crises multiply, international relations is no longer optional, it is essential to peace, resilience, and the collective survival that will define our shared future.

Cristina Edwards is an international relations specialist.