Last Updated on September 1, 2022, 7:51 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, arrived in Barbados on Wednesday, August 31, with a delegation to attend the Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum 2022.
The Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum will be held from September 1-3 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre in Bridgetown under the theme “One People. One Destiny. Uniting and Reimagining our Future.”
The Prime Minister’s delegation for the Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum includes:
- Dr Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Investment
- Cabinet Secretary, Dr Marcus Natta
- Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Hilary Hazel
- Permanent Secretary (Ag) in the Prime Minister’s Office, Naeemah Hazelle
- President of St Kitts and Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Mr Michael Davis.
Officials from the St Kitts Investment Promotion Agency (SKIPA) will also participate in the two-day investment forum.
The Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum intends to help strengthen relations between the private sectors of the two regions of the world to advance trade and investment.
Some of the objectives of the Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum include:
- The promotion of inter-bank relationships facilitating payment and financial flow
- Development of creative and cultural engagements that can be commercially viable
- Creation of a business case for a potential Afri-Caribbean Free-Trade Area.
- Promotion of trade and investment between the regions of Africa and the Caribbean by serving as a platform for market identification, building business partnerships, exchanging trade and market information, co-investments, etc.
- Facilitating Afri-Caribbean investments by promoting cross-regional business and investment linkages
- Serving as a platform for sharing trade and investment information and other products and initiatives of the Bank that support trade between Africa and Africans in the diaspora;
- Reducing counter-part risk perception among African and Caribbean businesses in dealing with themselves.
The Afri-Caribbean Forum is expected to welcome 750 delegates from Africa and the Caribbean, including government and private sector officials from both regions and investors, development partners, and trade support institutions.
While in Barbados, Prime Minister Dr Drew is also scheduled to participate in meetings with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
