Connectivity for Caribbean Countries : An Initial Assessment

Briceno-Garmendia, Cecilia ; Bofinger, Heinrich C. ; Cubas, Diana ; Millan-Placci, Maria Florencia

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: logistics;    air transport;    maritime;    connectivity;    ferry transportation;   

RP-ID  :  89692

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Their vital relation with theCaribbean Sea is a defining factor for the many cultures,languages and countries that co-exist in the Caribbean. Thisfactor acts as both the most important vehicle and as theirmost challenging obstacle to connect with the world, andrepresents the starting point for every single discussionaround Caribbean states: the fact that they are sea-lockedcountries (for most), small economies, with a high level ofvul¬nerability to natural disasters and a geographiclocation that calls for regional cooperation andintegration. Two of these the fact that they are sea-lockedand their location in the Caribbean pose critical andunchangeable barriers to maximizing the development of theirinfrastructure and connectivity. In consequence, exchangesof goods and services with the rest of the world are limitedto air and maritime transport modes, logistics costs aregen¬erally higher, and they face a disproportionate riskdisruption due to natural disasters. This all translatesinto a cost premium for developing both infrastructure andtransport services, regardless of the degree of efficiencyof the investment decision process. In the Caribbean GrowthForum (GCF), economic growth and competitiveness of membercountries are in¬variably intertwined with air and maritime transportation.