The recent attacks by Israel on Iran coupled with wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan and Israeli attacks on targets in Lebanon and Syria point to an increasingly volatile and violent world where countries are choosing armed conflict over diplomacy and military aggression over dialogue. In these conflicts, many are being armed and emboldened by external powers so that lives are being lost in villages and towns far removed geographically from the corridors of power where decisions are being made. Man’s inhumanity to man continues to be fodder for the daily newscasts.
In this new era of war and rumours of war, we of our Caribbean civilization must now more than ever protect and preserve our hard won reputation as a zone of peace. We must never tire in holding ourselves up to the world as examples of Nations motivated not by military aggression but by cooperation, dialogue and positive engagement with our neighbours. We have long underestimated the peace dividend that our Caribbean offers to investors, to migrants and to visitors to our shores. We must preserve and protect that peace that our region has enjoyed for decades.
In addition, this period of geopolitical instability requires our Caribbean leadership to support with renewed fervour multilateral organizations like the United Nations while pursuing deeper ties with non traditional partners especially those in the Global South. It is only through multilateralism and greater bilateral and regional engagement that our small island States will have a voice in global affairs.
To many in our region who see these conflicts as far distant from our shores and therefore irrelevant to us, I point out that the overnight attacks by Israel on oil rich Iran is already predicted to lead to a spike in oil prices globally. With Russian oil subject to sanctions, Venezuelan oil subject to sanctions and now Iranian oil disrupted by war, we of the Caribbean can potentially see spiraling electricity and transportation costs. As families in our region already struggle with the high cost of living, we can ill afford further price escalations on necessities like electricity and transportation which in turn drive up the cost of food.
The point then is that the Caribbean must remain vigilant and our people must understand that Israeli bombs falling on Iran can potentially make it harder to maintain our homes and our families in Kingston and Kingstown. We must continue to speak with a clear voice and a singleness of purpose. We must remind the world that we of the Caribbean provide a powerful example of peaceful co-existence that the world may do well to emulate.
June 14, 2025
Mark Brantley
Premier of Nevis
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