The Fourth AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025) concluded with the signing of over US$300 million in investment and trade agreements, reinforcing a joint commitment between Africa and the Caribbean to expand cross-regional collaboration. The two-day forum, co-hosted by Afreximbank and the Government of Grenada, brought together more than 2,100 delegates from 80 countries, including 11 Heads of State and Government, business leaders, policymakers, and development institutions.
A total of eight major agreements and memoranda were signed across sectors such as infrastructure, tourism, digital transformation, and trade finance. Key deals included:
- US$100 million Receivables Discounting Facility for Bahamas Striping Group of Companies Ltd to support road and infrastructure development.
- US$50 million Education Construction and Rehabilitation Climate-Linked Facility with the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- US$61.25 million Term Loan for the Homewood Suites by Hilton project in Barbados.
- US$40 million Receivables Facility for Cat Island Infrastructure Company Ltd in The Bahamas.
- US$40 million commercial port development agreement between Gemini Integrated Commodities Trading Company Ltd and the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- Memorandum of Understanding with the Grenada Development Bank to support SME growth and trade flows.
- Strategic MOU with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) to advance digital transformation.
- Appointment of the Bank of The Bahamas Ltd as an Afreximbank Trade Finance Intermediary to bolster cross-border transaction capabilities.
In a closing address, Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell, urged the institutionalisation of Africa-Caribbean relations and greater mobility between the regions: “We have to be very deliberate about creating institutions that will, in fact, recreate the type of trade, investment, banking, and financial relationships that we want to build for ourselves, I see no valid reason for maintaining the visa systems, Biometrics allows us to move past that.”
From a financial perspective, Dr. George Elombi, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank and incoming President, noted that the priority is no longer about vision-setting but execution: “The next phase is not about justifying our vision, it should be about conviction, finance is the lifeline of trade.”
The forum also adopted a robust ACTIF2025 Communiqué, which welcomed the endorsement of the Global Africa Commission by Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and other OECS states, with formal adoption expected at the AU-CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa in September. The communiqué also supported the creation of a Free Trade Arrangement, removal of visa restrictions, increased air and maritime connectivity, and expansion of collaboration in digital innovation, sports, and the creative industries.
ACTIF2025 was widely acknowledged as a milestone in the evolution of “resilient cross-regional value chains.” The announcement of ACTIF2026 confirmed the forum’s continuity as a key platform for driving Africa-Caribbean cooperation.
The event also paid tribute to Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah, whose tenure ends this year. A symbolic tree-planting ceremony at Camerhogne Park in Grenada honored his leadership, with a Flamboyant tree, native to both Africa and the Caribbean, planted in his name to symbolize vitality, peace, and unity across the diaspora.
