CARICOM, Africa celebrate anniversary

Caribbean governments and the African continent held small but significant ceremonies in the past week to mark the third CARICOM-Africa Day with a flag raising ceremony in Barbados highlighting formal ties between the two that began with the first formal CARICOM-Africa Summit back in 2021.

Barbadian Foreign Minister Kerrie Symmonds said Barbados and the region are serious about developing trade and other relations with the continent even as efforts are being stepped up to establish formal commercial air links between the two starting with chartered services later this month.

“The administration of which I am a part made it abundantly clear from the time we assumed office in 2018 that we were going to place at the very centerpiece of the foreign policy of Barbados a deeper relationship with the African continent. We took that posture largely because we understood that it was time, in the language of our prime minister, to close our Atlantic destiny.  We also took that posture in the very firm and certain and unequivocal knowledge that our relationship with Africa is one that is rooted in blood and it is anchored by history. We feel that we have, with a sense of diligence and a sense of purpose, to forge stronger relationships with Africa,” he said at a flag raising ceremony marking the third observance of the CARICOM-Africa day.

He also announced plans for the first of two charter flights from Ghana bringing dozens of tourists this week and a second one in late November that will also bring tourists from Ghana and other countries.

Symmonds said governments are serious about achieving the long-desired ambition of direct or non-stop commercial flights between Africa and the Caribbean, noting that “we have made every effort to begin the process of removing the middleman. There would be structured character flights direct from Accra, Ghana to Barbados to ensure that in the month that we celebrate our independence we will be able to have Ghanian tourists and visitors to share in our independence festivities and immersing themselves in authentic Barbadian tourist experience.”

So far only three percent of CARICOM’S trade was with Africa but this is likely to grow with commercial air links and especially with the aggressive lending posture of the Afreximbank’s presence in the 15-nation bloc with head offices in Barbados.

The bank this week announced a grant of $500,000 to countries hit by recent hurricanes. Bank Chairman Professor Benedict Oramah said it was important for the bank to “stand with them at this difficult time. The news of the hurricane’s impact has deeply saddened us, and our thoughts are with everyone affected by that devastating event. However, the strength and resilience of Caribbean people is well-known. We have no doubt that these qualities will shine through during this difficult period,” he said.