Barbados–Germany relations
Encyclopedia
Barbadian–German relations are foreign relations between Barbados
and Germany
. Barbados is represented in Germany through its embassy in Brussels
, (Belgium
) and Germany is represented in Barbados from its regional embassy for the Eastern Caribbean in Port of Spain
, (Trinidad and Tobago
) and an Honorary Consul in Christ Church. Barbados and Germany formally established diplomatic relations on 14 March 1967.
and was a prominent regional base for British forces. In 1874 the German bark Pierre Buyper was wrecked on the coast of Barbados.
During World War I and II a number of Barbadian troops were enlisted with the British forces to fight in the war with Germany. Twelve Barbados men made up the Second Barbados Contingent of Volunteers for the Armed Forces. They were recruited for the Royal Air Force
. They left Barbados for England
in November 1940 to fight against Germany. On 11 September 1942 German U-Boat U-514 (Auffermann) was patrolling the waters of Barbados where it torpedoed the Cornwallis steam merchant off the coastline of the capital city. The ship was brought ashore in Barbados before it was released and torpedoed a second time and sank. The shipwreck was later turned into a reef and Marine park.
, Barbados suffered economic hardship after it was nearly cut off from global trade by Germany.
Barbadian and German economic trade are not very significant, the German government is one of the main stake holders in the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank
(CDB), which lends to the various territories through-out the Caribbean
region.
In 2008 Barbados was one of several Caribbean countries of the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
that signed a sweeping Economic Partnership Agreement
with the European Union
.
Barbados receives substantial income from Germany from the spending by German tourists. In 2002 German tourism to Barbados dropped by 23 percent. Barbados’s main exports to Germany are agricultural products. Banks Barbados Brewery
in Barbados imported over 1 million Barbadian dollars of computerized production equipment from Germany in 1994-1995.
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Barbados is represented in Germany through its embassy in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, (Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) and Germany is represented in Barbados from its regional embassy for the Eastern Caribbean in Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
, (Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
) and an Honorary Consul in Christ Church. Barbados and Germany formally established diplomatic relations on 14 March 1967.
History
From the late 1620s until 1966 Barbados constituted as a part of the British EmpireBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and was a prominent regional base for British forces. In 1874 the German bark Pierre Buyper was wrecked on the coast of Barbados.
During World War I and II a number of Barbadian troops were enlisted with the British forces to fight in the war with Germany. Twelve Barbados men made up the Second Barbados Contingent of Volunteers for the Armed Forces. They were recruited for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. They left Barbados for England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in November 1940 to fight against Germany. On 11 September 1942 German U-Boat U-514 (Auffermann) was patrolling the waters of Barbados where it torpedoed the Cornwallis steam merchant off the coastline of the capital city. The ship was brought ashore in Barbados before it was released and torpedoed a second time and sank. The shipwreck was later turned into a reef and Marine park.
Trade
According to prize winning Barbadian novelist Austin ClarkeAustin Clarke
Austin Ardinel Chesterfield Clarke, is a Canadian novelist, essayist and short story writer who lives in Toronto, Ontario. Born in St...
, Barbados suffered economic hardship after it was nearly cut off from global trade by Germany.
Barbadian and German economic trade are not very significant, the German government is one of the main stake holders in the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank
Caribbean Development Bank
The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries...
(CDB), which lends to the various territories through-out the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
region.
In 2008 Barbados was one of several Caribbean countries of the Group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
ACP countries
The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States is a group of countries , created by the Georgetown Agreement in 1975. The group's main objectives are sustainable development and poverty reduction within its member states, as well as their greater integration into the world's economy...
that signed a sweeping Economic Partnership Agreement
Economic Partnership Agreement
An economic partnership agreement is an economic arrangement that eliminates barriers to the free movement of goods, services, and investment between countries. This agreement can be considered an intermediate step between free trade area and single market in the process of economic integration...
with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Barbados receives substantial income from Germany from the spending by German tourists. In 2002 German tourism to Barbados dropped by 23 percent. Barbados’s main exports to Germany are agricultural products. Banks Barbados Brewery
Banks Barbados Brewery
Banks Breweries Ltd. is a Caribbean brewery founded in 1961 in St. Michael, Barbados. The company's main brand, the Banks Beer brand is also the flagship product of the wider Banks Holdings Limited...
in Barbados imported over 1 million Barbadian dollars of computerized production equipment from Germany in 1994-1995.
Tourism
Germans nationals travelling to Barbados for tourism remains one of the modern day cultural ties between both nations. In 2010, the German airline Condor Flugdienst announced to Barbadian aviation officials that it would be doubling its weekly flights between Barbados and Germany.Agreements
- The Agreement between the Government of Barbados and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments was signed 2 December 1994.
- Short-stay visa waver agreement (for stays up to three months), covering Barbadian and German nationals, signed and entered force on 28 May 2009.
- Members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific–EUEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
's Joint Parliamentary AssemblyACP-EU Joint Parliamentary AssemblyThe ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly was created to bring together the elected representatives of the European Union and the elected representatives of the African, Caribbean and Pacific states that have signed the Cotonou Agreement.Since the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union...
.
People
- Rupee (musician)Rupee (musician)Rupert Clarke , best known by his stage name Rupee, is a soca musician from Barbados. He was born in military barracks in Germany to a German mother and a Bajan father, who was serving in the British armed forces at the time. He later migrated to Barbados...
is a soca musicSoca musicSoca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
ian from BarbadosBarbadosBarbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. He was born in military barracks in GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to a German mother and a Bajan father, who was serving in the BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
armed forces at the time. He later migrated to Barbados. - Ronnie Clarke, Director of programming at Starcom NetworkStarcom NetworkStarcom Network began its life as Radio Distribution Limited, with the introduction of the first broadcast station then located at Wildey, St. Michael in 1935. At that time, the company transmitted its broadcast signal using a cable network system, known as subscription radio...