CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett described the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit as a “homecoming” and a “tangible manifestation” of the regions’ shared commitment to bridging historical divides and reaffirming familial bonds.
Speaking at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa on Sunday, Dr. Barnett said the gathering symbolized unity between Africa and its diaspora.
“I am moved by its significance as leaders from the African continent and the African diaspora, the Sixth Region of the African Union, assemble to build on the foundation of our shared history and the fraternal bonds forged by our forebears,” she told the opening ceremony.
The Secretary-General highlighted the enduring connection between Africa and the Caribbean, despite centuries of separation through slavery, colonialism, and global economic structures. She emphasized that both regions are linked by “an enduring spirit and a shared heritage,” rooted in struggles for freedom and self-determination.
Dr. Barnett pointed to progress since the first CARICOM-Africa Summit in 2021, including the launch of the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC), deeper collaboration with Afreximbank—now with a Caribbean headquarters in Barbados—and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF), hosted in four CARICOM Member States since 2022.
“These initiatives address priority areas for both CARICOM and Africa, and this cooperation will contribute positively to sustainable development and facilitate better livelihoods for our people,” she said.
Looking ahead, she stressed the importance of joint advocacy on international financial reform, climate change, and transportation connectivity. She cited the Bridgetown Initiative as a framework for reform and called attention to a proposed multilateral air services agreement, while welcoming bilateral progress such as the Antigua and Barbuda–Nigeria joint venture for LIAT 2020.
On climate change, Dr. Barnett noted that Africa and the Caribbean contribute only about six percent of global emissions but are disproportionately affected by its impacts.
The Secretary-General also underscored the urgency of advancing reparatory justice, in line with the Summit’s theme: “A Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”
“The injustice of colonial rule and the Transatlantic Slave Trade… traumatised and disadvantaged millions on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean,” she said, expressing confidence that the Declaration emerging from the Summit would send a decisive message of cooperation and determination.
Framing the Summit as a continuation of Pan-African ideals advanced by leaders such as Marcus Garvey, Patrice Lumumba, and Kwame Nkrumah, Dr. Barnett said its outcomes would mark “an historic moment contributing to the continued deepening of CARICOM-Africa relations.”
