Fostering Bilateral Trade between Curaçao and Trinidad and Tobago: An Empirical Investigation of Country Comparative Advantage (Working Paper WP02/2026)

In July 2024, Curaçao became an Associate Member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). As Curaçao deepens regional integration, opportunities for improving intra-regional trade are being explored through, for example, negotiation of a Partial Scope Trade Agreement (PSTA) with Trinidad and Tobago. This paper investigates the potential for boosting trade between Curaçao and Trinidad and Tobago through an empirical analysis of each country’s comparative advantage. Through a suite of international trade-related tools, including the Balassa Revealed Comparative Advantage, Trade Complimentary, and the Trade Competitiveness Analysis of Nations (TradeCAN) methodology, the research highlights products and sectors with the highest potential for expanding trade in goods and services.