The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a 15-state regional organization in the Caribbean, which was formed in 1973 as a means of continuing post-independence member states' cooperation. The mandate of CARICOM has evolved and is now focused on deep interconnectedness and integration. Economic integration, foreign policy coordination and functional cooperation were the pillars on which CARICOM was founded and were the basis for pursuing the regional integration agenda. The objectives of the organization were threatened by the complex security environment of the 21st Century. Given its increasing importance and cross-cutting nature, CARICOM's leaders agreed to establish security as the fourth pillar of the organization in 2007. This research assessed the security architecture that has been designed to meet the regional security mandate in order to determine if the region requires a Security Organ to support the decision to make security a foundational pillar. The research found that there are moderate risks associated with CARICOM's current approach. To mitigate these risks, it is proposes a strengthening of the security structure in order to improve coordination and effectiveness be implemented. The research identified various options for strengthening the security structure, but based on CARICOM's existing design, the establishment of a CARICOM Security Organ is a necessary precursor to other improvements.

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