The Bahamas
Diplomatic relations between Poland and the United States were established on 19th November 2003.
Political cooperation
Political cooperation after 1989
Poland established diplomatic relations with the Commonwealth of The Bahamas on November 19, 2003. The first accreditation of a Polish ambassador (permanently residing in the United States) in the history of our relations took place on August 21, 2008. Currently the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is Piotr Wilczek, residing in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Wilczek submitted his credentials in The Bahamas on March 29, 2017. A Polish consulate directed by an honorary consul was opened in Nassau following the decision by Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 25, 2006. From its creation, the honorary consul has been Edith Rebecca Powell, a native of The Bahamas. The honorary consul carries out consular duties and represents and promotes Poland at a variety of cultural events, meetings of the diplomatic corps, etc. In 2008 Honorary Consul Powell was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for promoting Poland in The Bahamas. To date the Commonwealth of The Bahamas has not accredited its own diplomatic representative to Poland. A concrete expression of bilateral political contacts between Poland and the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is exchanged support at the United Nations. The Bahamas supported Poland’s candidacy to the UN Security Council for the 2018-2019 term during elections in June 2017. Poland supported The Bahamas’ candidacy for the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the 2018-2019 term in elections held in November 2017 (these efforts were successful – The Bahamas was chosen and is currently a member of the IMO Council in category “C” consisting of countries “which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world”). Poland also supported The Bahamas in elections to the Human Rights Council in October 2018. The candidacy was successful and as of January 1, 2019 The Bahamas is a member of the Council (until the end of 2021).
Links:
government of The Bahamas
Economic cooperation
According to data from Poland’s Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology, the value of trade between Poland and The Bahamas over the last decade has fluctuated between 0.4 and 1.6 billion USD annually. For example, turnover in the record year 2015 (1.58 billion USD) was three and a half times higher than just three years earlier (443 million USD). In turn, results for 2018 indicate turnover of less than half of that in 2015 (711 million USD). Bilateral trade is relatively balanced, and after a clearly negative balance for Poland in 2014 (-154.1 million USD), the following years saw a positive balance (12.8 million USD in 2018). The majority of exchange in goods (both exports and imports) consists of sea, cargo and passenger ships (the value of turnover in non-maritime items is minor). This is in part a result of Polish companies involved in sea transportation (such as Polsteam) using the flag of The Bahamas and registering Polish ships there. Poland-Bahamas Trade Exchange in 2010-2018 (in million USD, according to data from the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Sales 487.0 648.3 443.8 670.3 1037.3 1588.2 607.8 588.7 711.8 Export 159.5 286.1 207.8 301.2 441.6 830.2 337.4 305.5 362.3 Import 327.5 362.2 236.0 369.1 595.7 758.0 270.4 283.2 349.5 Balance -168.0 - 76.1 28.2 - 67.9 - 154.1 72.2 67.0 22.3 12.8 In its data, the National Bank of Poland does not note direct foreign investments in Poland by businesses registered in The Bahamas as of the end of 2017. In turn, in 2017 Polish investments in The Bahamas totaled 47 million USD and were as follows: reinvestments of profits - 2.5 million USD, debt instruments - net 44.5 million USD (assets - 41.4 million USD, liabilities - 3.1 million USD). They were most likely related to the registering of Polish ships under the flag of The Bahamas. The Bahamas has lifted visa requirements for the majority of EU member states. As of May 28, 2009 Polish citizens can travel in The Bahamas as tourists without visas using their passports for up to three months. Citizens of The Bahamas can enter Poland according to these same rules.
Links:
Bahamas Investment Authority
The Bahamas Investor Magazine
Cultural cooperation
In February 2019 the Polish sailing ship “Dar Młodzieży” arrived in Nassau as part of the “Independence Sail” – a trip around the world promoting Poland during the centennial of its regaining independence. The ship’s stay in Nassau was organized by Poland’s Honorary Consul Edith Rebecca Powell and Captain Boryslav Dopita and began with an audience with Governor General of The Bahamas Marguerite Pindling, which included the participation of “Dar Młodzieży” commanding officer Rafał Szymański, rector of Gdynia Maritime University Professor Janusz Zarębski and Professor Andrzej Grzelakowski from Gdynia Maritime University. “Dar Młodzieży’s” time in Nassau included a concert on deck by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Band, and Polish volunteers had the opportunity to visit the island of Providence, where the capital of the archipelago is located.