Relationship dossier
Antigua and Barbuda
United States
Relationship assessment
Security cooperation alongside a major trade dispute over cross-border gambling
Antigua and Barbuda toward United States
0Antigua and Barbuda brought a WTO challenge against U.S. restrictions on cross-border gambling services and obtained authorization to suspend certain U.S. intellectual property obligations after the dispute.
United States toward Antigua and Barbuda
+20The United States has provided assistance to Antigua and Barbuda and cooperated with it on Caribbean security, including maritime law-enforcement efforts.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship combines security cooperation and U.S. assistance with a prominent, prolonged WTO dispute over gambling restrictions. The dispute stands out as a source of bilateral friction, while security ties provide a durable area of cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Antigua and Barbuda and the United States have cooperated on security, while Antigua and Barbuda's successful WTO challenge to U.S. restrictions on cross-border gambling created a significant trade dispute. These features point to a mixed relationship, with U.S. security cooperation and assistance contributing to the bilateral ties.
Areas of tension
- U.S. restrictions on cross-border gambling services and the resulting WTO dispute.
Key developments
Antigua and Barbuda challenged U.S. restrictions on cross-border gambling services at the WTO; the dispute later led to authorization for Antigua and Barbuda to suspend certain U.S. intellectual property obligations.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral security cooperation are unclear.
- The current status of the gambling-related trade dispute and its effects on bilateral ties are unclear.