CARICOM Secretary General rallies Africa-Caribbean coalition in Abuja

By Kurt Campbell in Abuja

kurt@newsroom.gy 

Standing before African heads of state, policymakers and global financiers on Friday, CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett delivered a powerful call for ‘progressive unity’ to steer Africa and the Caribbean towards shared prosperity.

Speaking on day three of the 32nd Annual Afreximbank Meetings at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, Barnett reminded the packed hall that while globalisation promised wealth and stronger ties, the reality for many in the Global South remains a fight for fairer terms.

“Africa is poised for growth,” she declared, “but we must harness our diversity, manage our risks, and speak with one voice in global arenas.”

Barnett urged African and Caribbean leaders to deepen their common cause, saying both regions must overcome the legacies of colonisation and stand together on issues ranging from trade to climate change.

“We are bound by history and values. Let us also be bound by action and common purpose,” she said.

The Secretary-General pointed to clear pathways for meaningful cooperation, stronger trade links, targeted investment, more people-to-people connections and an unwavering push for affordable development financing.

She praised Africa’s recent strides, including the African Union’s seat at the G20 and the operationalisation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, describing these as “signposts on the road to building a truly global coalition for development.”

Her remarks follow mounting calls throughout AAM2025 for the Caribbean to play a bigger role in Africa’s economic future — and vice versa.

“Our challenges are real: trade tensions, policy shocks, and a system that too often leaves us behind,” Barnett said. “But unity is our most powerful currency.”

The Afreximbank’s deepening footprint in the Caribbean, backed by billion-dollar facilities and new partnerships, is widely seen as proof that this once-theoretical Atlantic Bridge is taking real shape.

Barnett’s message is that the future hinges not just on bold ideas, but on bold, shared action.

“If we are to write our own story of development, we must do it together — Africa and the Caribbean, side by side.”