FOREIGN
RELATIONS
FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Antigua and Barbuda maintains diplomatic relations with the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the People's Republic of China, as well as with many Latin American countries and neighboring Eastern Caribbean states. It is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, and the Eastern Caribbean's Regional Security System (RSS). Unlike some of its neighbors in the Eastern Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda has withheld recognition of Taiwan and has established relations with the People's Republic of China.
U.S.-ANTIGUA
AND BARBUDA RELATIONS
The United States has maintained friendly relations with Antigua and Barbuda since its independence. The United States has supported the Government of Antigua and Barbuda's effort to expand its economic base and to improve its citizens' standard of living. However, concerns over the lack of adequate regulation of the financial services sector prompted the U.S. Government to issue a financial advisory for Antigua and Barbuda in 1999. The advisory was lifted in 2001, but the U.S. Government continues to monitor the Government of Antigua and Barbuda's regulation of financial services. The United States also has been active in supporting post-hurricane disaster assistance and rehabilitation through the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and the Peace Corps. U.S. assistance is primarily channeled through multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), as well as through the USAID office in Bridgetown, Barbados. In addition, Antigua and Barbuda receives counter-narcotics assistance and benefits from U.S. military exercise-related and humanitarian civic assistance construction projects.
Antigua and Barbuda is strategically situated in the Leeward Islands near maritime transport lanes of major importance to the United States. Antigua has long hosted a U.S. military presence. The United States Air Force operates a satellite tracking station under a lease agreement with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua
and Barbuda's location close to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto
Rico makes it an attractive transshipment point for narcotics
traffickers. To address these problems, the U.S. and Antigua and
Barbuda have signed a series of counter-narcotic and counter-crime
treaties and agreements, including a maritime law enforcement
agreement (1995), subsequently amended to include overflight and
order-to-land provisions (1996); a bilateral extradition treaty
(1996); and a mutual legal assistance treaty (1996).
In 2005, Antigua and Barbuda had 239, 804 stay-over visitors, with nearly 28% of Antingua and Barbuda’s visitors coming from the United States. It is estimated that 4,500 Americans reside in the country.
The United States maintains no official presence in Antigua. The Ambassador and Embassy officers are resident in Barbados and travel to Antigua frequently. However, a U.S. consular agent resident in Antigua assists U.S. citizens in Antigua and Barbuda.
Principal U.S. Embassy Officials
Ambassador--Mary M. Ourisman
Deputy Chief of Mission--O.P. Garza
Political/Economic Counselor--Ian Campbell
Consul General--Clyde Howard Jr.
Regional Labor Attaché--Jake Aller
Commercial Affairs--Jake Aller
Public Affairs Officer--John Roberts
Peace Corps Director--Kate Raftery
The United States maintains no official presence in Antigua. The Ambassador and Embassy officers are resident in Barbados and travel to Antigua frequently. However, a U.S. consular agent resident in Antigua assists U.S. citizens in Antigua and Barbuda.
The U.S. Embassy in Barbados is located in the Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael. (tel: 246-436-4950; fax: 246-429-5246).
