“Economic cooperation in the Americas was beneficial to the region.” Discuss.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that economic cooperation in the Americas was beneficial to the region. Candidates are expected to discuss examples of economic cooperation such as NAFTA, CAFTA or other agreements and determine whether those agreements have been beneficial to the region. For NAFTA, trade between the three countries has quadrupled since 1994, but there have been other inequalities as a result of the agreement. Candidates may refer to smaller examples of economic cooperation within the region, but those examples should still discuss whether they were beneficial for the nations involved. Candidates may agree, partly agree or disagree with the statement.