Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene has called for stronger trade, investment, travel and cultural ties between Africa and the Caribbean as Antigua and Barbuda commemorates Africa-CARICOM Day 2026.
In an official communiqué issued Sunday, Greene said the relationship between the two regions must move beyond aspiration and produce measurable benefits for their people.
He urged both sides to pursue an estimated US$15 billion in agricultural trade potential and work toward an overall trade volume of US$1.8 billion by 2028.
Greene said governments must empower private businesses, improve logistics and provide small and medium-sized enterprises—particularly those led by young people—with better access to financing and international markets.
He identified agriculture, renewable energy, the blue economy and financial services as areas capable of delivering mutual growth.
The minister also called for direct air links between Africa and the Caribbean, saying recently established visa-waiver agreements with Ghana, Kenya and Benin were only a first step toward making travel easier.
“The visa waivers are a start, but we must now invest in direct air links to make travel seamless,” Greene said.
He also advocated for increased cultural and educational exchanges and a revival of sports diplomacy through cricket, athletics and football.
Greene described Africa-CARICOM Day, observed annually on September 7, as a testament to the regions’ shared ancestry, resilience and commitment to unity.
He credited Prime Minister Gaston Browne with first proposing the commemorative day in 2021 as a means of strengthening cooperation between Africa and CARICOM.
The minister said their connection extends beyond diplomacy and is rooted in the experience of the transatlantic slave trade and the determination of African and Caribbean people to overcome its lasting consequences.
Greene also renewed calls for reparatory justice, climate justice, debt relief and the return of cultural heritage.
He pointed to the CARICOM Reparations Commission’s third Regional Conference on Reparations, scheduled for September 17–19 in Barbados, as another opportunity to strengthen regional advocacy.
According to Greene, unity in international forums gives African and Caribbean nations greater leverage in efforts to create a fairer and more inclusive global system.
“The bonds between Antigua and Barbuda and the continent of Africa are unbreakable,” Greene said. “Let us ensure that this partnership moves from aspiration to measurable action, transforming our shared history into a prosperous and connected future.”
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: FM Greene Calls for Stronger Trade, Travel and Investment Ties Between Africa and CARICOM.