In Geneva, PR retail leader outlines vision for ‘United Caribbean’ trade bloc.

By THE STAR STAFF

A Puerto Rico business leader told international trade officials Tuesday that closer economic ties across the greater Caribbean could strengthen regional stability and expand opportunities for small and midsize businesses.

Dr. Ramón C. Barquín III, president of the Puerto Rico United Retailers Association (CUD by its acronym in Spanish) and a former president of the Organization of Trade in the Americas (OCTA), delivered a keynote address to the World Trade Point Federation at the United Nations Palace in Geneva, Switzerland. In his remarks, Barquín promoted the creation of a “United Caribbean” trade bloc aimed at boosting cooperation and integrated supply chains across the region.

The CUD president spoke before an audience that included international delegates, diplomatic representatives and officials connected to U.N.-linked trade and development bodies, including organizations tied to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

He argued that trade and regional integration can help reduce tensions in an increasingly interconnected world shaped by digital platforms, global communications and cross-border data flows.

“Legitimate trade remains one of the great instruments of peace in modern civilization. Nations that trade together are more likely to cooperate,” Barquín said. “Modern economic integration must also rest on digital trust, cybersecurity and regional interconnectivity.”

He said the “United Caribbean” concept is a private-sector integration platform rather than a traditional government treaty, with participation envisioned from business groups, universities, think tanks and cultural institutions.

“Its purpose is to create a functional architecture of economic integration for the Greater Caribbean,” Barquín said.