The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is calling on Caribbean governments to diversify their trade relations and strengthen regional integration to ensure they remain competitive amid shifting trends in United States trade policies this year.
In its latest annual report on the region’s trade performance, entitled ‘International Trade Outlook for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025: International Trade in a New Era of Weaponised Interdependence,’ ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, recommends that countries avoid adopting measures that could increase uncertainty in a context marked by major disruptions and geopolitical tensions in world trade.
The document notes that as a result of tariff hikes implemented by the United States since February 2025, Latin American and Caribbean countries face, on average, an effective tariff rate of around 10%. This is seven percentage points lower than the average imposed globally. The highest average tariff is faced by Brazil.
ECLAC recommends that Caribbean countries deepen trade relations with countries and groupings such as China, the European Union, India, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
In addition, it recommends strengthening regional integration in areas such as infrastructure, trade facilitation, and regulatory convergence.