CARICOM is calling for deeper and more strategic cooperation with Africa, arguing that the Caribbean and African regions can achieve greater influence by using their shared voice to advance sustainable development, climate resilience and the interests of vulnerable states.
CARICOM Chairman and Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre made the appeal on September 7 as the regions marked Africa-CARICOM Day, which commemorates the growing partnership between the Caribbean Community and the African Union. Pierre said the relationship has strengthened significantly since African and Caribbean leaders held their first joint summit in 2021.
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A major step came in September 2024 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the CARICOM and African Union secretariats, establishing a framework for closer institutional cooperation. Pierre said the agreement has helped create new opportunities for collaboration between the two regions.
Economic cooperation is also expanding. CARICOM member states have developed partnerships with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), whose Caribbean office has been supporting financing for infrastructure, small businesses and trade. Joint initiatives in healthcare and air connectivity are also being advanced, with the potential to increase tourism, commercial exchanges and direct people-to-people links.
The push comes as both regions seek greater economic resilience and a stronger voice in international affairs. Greater coordination could allow Caribbean and African states to pursue shared positions on issues such as climate financing, development, trade, reparatory justice and the needs of small and vulnerable economies.
Former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson has separately called for stronger Africa-Caribbean cooperation in education and technology, including joint curricula, recognition of qualifications, shared research programmes and greater movement of students and scholars between the two regions. He argued that cooperation will become increasingly important as artificial intelligence and advanced technologies reshape the global economy.
The renewed emphasis on Africa-CARICOM relations reflects a broader effort to turn longstanding historical and cultural connections into practical partnerships. For CARICOM, closer engagement with Africa could provide new markets, investment opportunities, expertise and diplomatic leverage while strengthening the Caribbean’s ability to advocate collectively on the global stage.
