Workplace of the Prime Minister – The individuals of the Caribbean Neighborhood (CARICOM) and the African Union (AU) on September 7, 2023 acknowledge the second annual CARICOM-Africa Day, a festivity, but fraught with the reminders of why we have been separated within the first place, and why we remained as distant family members for thus lengthy. Simply as giant households who haven’t seen in ages meet below the banner of a household reunion, members of those two areas met on this date in 2021, reflecting on the previous, however extra so, discussing financial and cultural collaborations for the long run.
Since that historic gathering, the primary Africa-Caribbean Commerce and Funding Discussion board (ACTIF) was held in Barbados in 2022, and the Caribbean Export Growth Company launched into a commerce mission in West Africa in the identical yr, each specializing in boosting commerce and funding between Africa and the Caribbean by constructing connections within the non-public sector. Additionally in 2022, a partnership settlement was established between CARICOM and the African Export Import Financial institution (AFREXIMBANK) and as of July 2023, eleven CARICOM member states had signed. The settlement will allow the promotion and financing of South-South commerce between African international locations and CARICOM Member States. This yr, AFREXIMBANK opened its CARICOM Workplace in Barbados with US$3 billion funding accessible to collaborating member states of CARICOM so as to increase the event of commerce. Potential synergies between our two areas span air-travel, maritime transport, renewable vitality, agriculture, sport, healthcare, tourism, commerce and funding, in addition to individuals to individuals interactions.
To rejoice, the Regional Integration Unit – Workplace of the Prime Minister has undertaken plenty of actions inclusive of CARICOM-Africa Musings, Did You Know posts, and a message to varsities and church buildings. Musings invitations academicians, institutional heads and thought leaders to replicate on varied features of the CARICOM-Africa relationship over time, and their imaginative and prescient for its future improvement. These could be discovered on the Authorities of Saint Lucia’s Social Media pages, and Nationwide Tv Community (NTN).
By way of the celebration of CARICOM-Africa Day it’s envisioned that the connections rooted in historical past bear fruit of prosperity for our peoples. In the present day, in Saint Lucia we profit from the presence of quite a few professionals from the African continent who contribute to our society within the fields of medication, faith, and business, amongst others. Allow us to not solely replicate on the merciless hardships of the previous, however deal with the various alternatives for collaboration sooner or later, and naturally, these which bear fruit right now.
