Foreign relations of Jamaica

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 December 1995.

Barbados and Jamaica were once both commonwealth realms (now only Jamaica is), and are members of: the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Community, the Belt & Road Initiative, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Nations, ECLAC, EU-CARIFORUM, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, the Organization of American States, the Small Island Developing States, and the United Nations.

• Barbados is represented in Jamaica through a non-resident High Commissioner in Bridgetown and an honorary consulate in Kingston.
• Jamaica is represented in Barbados through its High Commissioner in Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) and an honorary consulate in Bridgetown.

Belize and Jamaica are two of fifteen commonwealth realms, members of: the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Community, the Belt & Road Initiative, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Nations, ECLAC, EU-CARIFORUM, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, the Organization of American States, the Small Island Developing States, and the United Nations.

• Both countries established diplomatic relations on November 3, 1982.[15]
• Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States and of the Caribbean Community.

Jamaica and Brazil established diplomatic relations on October 14, 1962. Both countries are full members of the Group of 15.

Canada and Jamaica are two of fifteen commonwealth realms, members of: the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of American States, and the United Nations. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1962. Since March 4, 1963, Canada has a high commission in Kingston. Jamaica has a high commission in Ottawa. On April 15, 2009, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper became the first Canadian head of government to address the Jamaican parliament. There are 231,000 people of Jamaican descent living in Canada. Jamaican-Canadians celebrate their island heritage through festivals held in major cities across Canada, the most recognized of which is Caribana. Caribana is held in Toronto, Ontario every year and attracts over one million visitors to the region, many of whom fly all the way from Jamaica.

• See also Jamaican Canadian
• Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade about relations with Jamaica
• Canadian high commission in Kingston
• Jamaican high commission in Ottawa

Prime Minister Percival James Patterson visited Cuba at the end of May 1997. In the fall of 1997, Jamaica upgraded its consulate in Havana to an embassy, and the nonresident Jamaican ambassador to Cuba was replaced by a resident ambassador.

Relations from November 21, 1972. China has an embassy in Kingston, Jamaica. Jamaica has an embassy in Beijing.

Ghana, as the former Gold Coast, and Jamaica share historical links through the slave trade and forced Ashanti/Akan emigration to the Caribbean. Ghana and Jamaica have a Joint Permanent Commission, and there are plans for Ghanaian investment in Jamaica.

• Both countries established diplomatic relations on May 26, 1966.[16]
• Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States, of the Caribbean Community, and of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Haiti has an embassy in Kingston and Jamaica has an honorary consul in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

In January, 2007, Haitian President René Préval, made a four-day working visit to Jamaica. At a press conference, Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced that a Joint Jamaica/Haiti Commission would be convened later that year.[17]

Both nations inherited many cultural and political connections from British colonisation, such as membership in the Commonwealth of Nations, parliamentary democracy, the English language and cricket.[18][19]

India has a High Commission in Kingston,[20] whilst Jamaica has a consulate in New Delhi.[21]

• Japan has an embassy in Kingston.
• Jamaica has an embassy in Tokyo.

• Jamaica is accredited to Kenya from its high commission in Pretoria, South Africa.
• Kenya is accredited to Jamaica from its embassy in Havana, Cuba.

Both nations established diplomatic relations on 18 March 1966.

• Jamaica has an embassy in Mexico City.[22]
• Mexico has an embassy in Kingston.[23]

• Jamaica is accredited to Namibia from its high commission in Pretoria, South Africa.
• Namibia is accredited to Jamaica from its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York City.

Nicaragua has an embassy in Kingston. Jamaica is represented through its embassy in Mexico City.

• Jamaica and Nicaragua are members of the United Nations, PetroCaribe, Organization of American States and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
• In 1730 the Mosquito Coast came to depend on the British government of Jamaica.

Various discussions of aspects of Pakistan-Jamaica relations and the possible ways and means to further strengthen these relations. The potential for enhancing cooperation between the two countries. Pakistan emphasized that the excellent bilateral relationship which existed between Pakistan and Jamaica since the establishment season diplomatic relations in 1962 needed to be translated into mutually beneficial cooperation in tourism, trade, investment, education, health, science and technology and improved people to people contacts.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Jamaica started on October 13, 1962 .[24]

• Jamaica has an embassy in Seoul, South Korea.[25]
• South Korea has an embassy in Kingston Jamaica.[26]

• Turkish Embassy in Havana is accredited to Jamaica.[28]
• Trade volume between the two countries was 90.5 million USD in 2019 (Jamaican exports/imports: 0.5/90 million USD).[28]

Jamaica and the United Kingdom are two of fifteen commonwealth realms, members of: the Caribbean Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Nations, UK-CARIFORUM, and the United Nations. Jamaica is the UK's third-largest export market in the Caribbean after Puerto Rico and Trinidad & Tobago. In 2010, British exports were valued at £68.4 million—an increase of 48% over the previous year and imports at £47.8 million. The UK’s main exports to Jamaica are chemicals, manufactured goods, machinery, pharmaceuticals and food products. There are opportunities for UK companies in the following sectors: Education, Information Communications Technology, Agriculture, Health, Water and Renewable Energy.

Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, D.C.

The United States maintains close and productive relations with the Government of Jamaica. Former Prime Minister Patterson visited Washington, DC, several times after assuming office in 1992. In April 2001, Prime Minister Patterson and other Caribbean leaders met with President George W. Bush during the Summit of the Americas in Quebec, Canada, at which a "Third Border Initiative" was launched to deepen U.S. cooperation with Caribbean nations and enhance economic development and integration of the Caribbean nations. Then-Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller attended the "Conference on the Caribbean--A 20/20 Vision" in Washington in June 2007.

President Barack Obama visited the island on April 9. 2015. President Obama managed to squeeze in some fun in between meetings with Jamaican and Caribbean leaders on his trip to Jamaica this week—from paying homage to reggae star Bob Marley to practising his own Jamaican accent.

The United States is Jamaica's most important trading partner: bilateral trade in goods in 2005 was over $2 billion. Jamaica is a popular destination for American tourists; more than 1.2 million Americans visited in 2006. Also, some 10,000 American citizens, including many dual-nationals born on the island, permanently reside in Jamaica.