Barbados is scheduled to host more than 700 African businesspeople, investors, and representatives of financial institutions during the first Africa-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) from August 31 to September 3.
The Forum is one of the first projects coming out of last year’s First Africa-Caricom summit and will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre under the theme: “One People. One Destiny. Uniting and Reimagining Our Future.”
The event is a collective initiative of Invest Barbados and Export Barbados in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
“The forum aims to foster the development of strategic partnerships between the business communities in Africa and the Caribbean, to bolster bilateral cooperation and increase engagement in trade, investment, technology transfer, innovation, tourism, culture, and other sectors,” said Export Barbados (BIDC) and Invest Barbados in a statement on Wednesday.
“Additionally, ACTIF 2022 is expected to contribute to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the Caribbean trade development agenda, further reflecting the deep-rooted ties between Africa and the Caribbean based on their shared history, culture, common identity, and destiny.”
As part of their commitment to the Forum’s success, CEOs of Export Barbados (BIDC) and Invest Barbados, Mark Hill, and Kaye Greenidge, respectively, hosted Kanayo Awani, executive vice president of Afreximbank’s Intra-African Trade Bank, and her team during a preparatory visit to Barbados between July 20 and 22.
Awani also had meetings with Prime Minister Mia Mottley and representatives of key local and regional organizations.
Mottley said Barbados ACTIF2022 would be a major step towards strengthening relations between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)C and Africa.
“Last September, Barbados signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Afreximbank, and we are committed to the success of that MOU,” she said.
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