by Curlan Campbell
- Caribbean is home to a large contingent of African diaspora
- Inaugural Caricom–Africa Summit hosted by Kenya in 2021
- Second Caricom–Africa Summit hosted in Addis Ababa on Caricom–Africa Day, 7 September
Caricom Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett has issued a resounding call for a new era of integration between Africa and the Caribbean, emphasising that strengthened ties between the two regions are essential for building resilience, driving development, and asserting influence in an increasingly fractured global landscape.
Speaking at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Dr Barnett said that globalisation, once seen as a pathway to shared prosperity, has instead revealed deep inequalities and vulnerabilities, especially for developing nations. “In this fractured environment, this is an opportunity for Africa, and the Caribbean — which is the home of a large contingent of the African diaspora, the Sixth Region — to build common cause on shared values and interests, and forge a path towards mutually beneficial collective action,” Dr Barnett declared.
Framing integration not as a luxury, but a necessity, Dr Barnett urged both regions to prioritise “progressive unity” — a model built on shared values, dialogue, and collaboration. “To realise Africa’s potential, it must not only harness its diversity, but also leverage its strategic assets to mitigate geopolitical and geo-economic risks. The same applies to the Caribbean. Our common future depends on collective action.”
She pointed to the lasting effects of colonialism that continue to create barriers between the 2 regions. “The divisions created during the period of European colonisation of Africa and the Caribbean would remain, and even become further entrenched, without a focused intent on breaking down the barriers among us,” she warned.
Dr Barnett emphasised that both regions have already begun to lay the groundwork for a new partnership. She referenced the inaugural Caricom–Africa Summit in 2021, hosted by Kenya, and looked forward to the upcoming Second Caricom–Africa Summit, to be held in Addis Ababa on Caricom–Africa Day, 7 September 2025. “Caricom is committed to strengthening this cooperation, and building a mutually beneficial and stable partnership,” she affirmed.
Opportunities for integration abound, she noted, in areas such as trade and investment, climate resilience, development finance, media, reparatory justice, and people-to-people exchange. “A strong and mutually beneficial partnership between Africa and the Caribbean… can become the springboard for broader South-South cooperation that leverages comparative advantages,” Dr Barnett said.
She also called for reform of global financial institutions that continue to sideline developing nations. “The Bridgetown Initiative version 3.0 provides a common platform for joint advocacy on the reform of the multilateral financial system… This situation serves as a basis for common cause between Africa and the Caribbean.”
Dr Barnett welcomed the African Union’s admission as a permanent member of the G-20 and highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a blueprint for regional cooperation. “This institutional platform, along with mutually beneficial partnerships and alliances, will advance the ecosystem for building a Global African Coalition for Development — including the Caribbean.”
Dr Barnett said the time is now for Africa and the Caribbean to take ownership of their futures — together. “We must be bold in making strategic choices rooted in our agency. By doing so, we not only strengthen each other but also contribute meaningfully to a more equitable and inclusive global order.”
