Leaders from African Union and the Caribbean Community hold first CARICOM-Africa Summit

Africa, Americas, News September 8, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

Heads of State and Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Africa virtually participated in the first CARICOM-Africa Summit hosted by Kenya on 7 September 2021.

During the summit meeting, leaders from Africa and the Caribbean agreed to strengthen collaboration and unity and expressed commitment to enhance trade, investment, and people-to-people engagement between the two regions.

Chair of the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta presided over the summit which was attended by leaders and officials from Africa and CARICOM.

Kenya’s President Kenyatta, in his opening statement, cited “the blue economy, climate change, health and Covid-19, debt sustainability and technology as areas on which the Regions could work together.”

The Africa-CARICOM Summit was held during the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent.

Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and Chair of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, Gaston Browne proposed during his speech that September 7th be celebrated as “Africa-CARICOM Day” with a Summit held annually on that date.

Gaston Browne also “proposed the creation of a Forum of African and Caribbean Territories and States (FACTS), the codifying of a Founding Charter and a Memorandum of Operation of the Forum, a multi-lateral air services agreement, and investment protection and a double taxation agreement between African and CARICOM states,” the CARICOM official website posed.

“We have global bargaining power. But only if we use it effectively… We should resist being pushed to the margins of international decision-making and collaborate on decisions to restructure the global financial architecture, on global taxation, de-risking, climate change and reparations, among others,” Browne declared.

During the meeting, key areas of possible cooperation and collaboration were identified by both parties.

“In the discussions, the Leaders stressed the importance of exploiting the Blue Economy to boost growth and development. They also committed to foster increased trade and investment through specific agreements and the enhancement of transportation links between the two regions. This could include the removal of the requirement for visas by nationals of CARICOM and African nations,” the statement added.

The statement also “The existential threat posed by climate change was acknowledged and there was agreement on the need for the global community to act towards curtailing greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. They supported a joint approach to the negotiations at COP26 to be held in the United Kingdom in November.