Global Africa Commission Proposed at the Opening of ACTIF2025 in Grenada

By Bheki Dlamini 

Pretoria, South Africa — The fourth edition of the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025) opened on July 28 in Grenada with an inspiring call to action for strengthened economic ties, cultural integration, and durable business partnerships between Africa and the Caribbean. 

This milestone event, themed “Resilience and Transformation: Enhancing Africa-Caribbean Economic Cooperation in an Era of Global Uncertainty,” convened more than 1,800 delegates, including sitting and former Heads of State, government officials, private sector leaders, and diaspora investors from both regions.

From Rhetoric to Results: Showcasing Tangible Progress

In a passionate keynote address, Prof. Benedict Oramah, outgoing President and Chairman of Afreximbank’s Board, spoke of the transition from symbolic agreements to actionable systems. 

He highlighted key milestones achieved since ACTIF’s inception less than four years ago, including the ratification of the Partnership Agreement by 11 CARICOM member states, signifying a historic sovereign commitment to Africa-Caribbean cooperation.

Oramah unveiled bold initiatives aimed at catalysing deeper economic integration:

• The feasibility of a Caribbean EXIM Bank, co-created with CARICOM, to spur industrial development and trade.
• Launch of a $250 million Growth, Resilience, and Sustainability Fund (GRSF), managed by Afreximbank’s Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), targeting climate adaptation and sustainable growth.
• Introduction of CAPSS (Caribbean Payment & Settlement System), modelled after Africa’s successful PAPSS platform, enabling real-time payments across Caribbean territories in local currencies with an upcoming CAPSS Card.
• A $24 million creative and cultural investment in a film production and training hub in the OECS region.
• Partnership with the University of the West Indies’ P.J. Patterson Institute to launch an Artificial Intelligence and generative technology centre, positioning Afro-Caribbean talent at the forefront of global innovation.

The Call for a Global Africa Commission

Looking to institutionalise these efforts, Oramah proposed establishing a sovereign Global Africa Commission, jointly supported by Afreximbank, CARICOM, and the African Union. 

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Tasked with advancing the trade, cultural, education, and creative agendas of the growing pan-African alliance, this permanent body would focus on delivering lasting integration and innovation, alleviating the administrative burden on Afreximbank.

“We are the only ones who put ourselves last,” Oramah emphasised, advocating a new posture where Africa and its diaspora assert leadership in global affairs on their own terms.

High Praise and Regional Commitment

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell praised Oramah’s visionary leadership, describing his tenure as a turning point in Africa-Caribbean relations. 

He announced a recommendation to bestow the region’s highest honour, the Order of the Caribbean Community, on Oramah. Mitchell underscored ACTIF’s critical role in fostering unity, enterprise, and a reimagined global role for African and Caribbean peoples.

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He poignantly recounted an encounter with a young volunteer asking why Grenada was hosting ACTIF2025.

“It’s about money. It’s about trade. It’s about investment… our very survival, prosperity and dignity depend on the economic decisions we make today. We will leave here with a commitment to act, to build together, to trade together, to succeed together and rise together… no one is going to save Global Africa but Global Africa itself,” Mitchell pledged.

Landmark Deals and Momentum

ACTIF2025 kicked off with more than US$290 million in deals signed on the first day, underscoring Afreximbank’s deepening investment footprint in the Caribbean. Highlights included:

• A US$50 million Heads of Terms with Saint Kitts and Nevis for an education construction and climate-linked rehabilitation facility.
• A US$40 million public-private partnership to develop a modern commercial port in Saint Kitts.
• In the Bahamas, a US$100 million receivables discounting facility for road infrastructure rehabilitation.
• A US$40 million facility for critical roadworks on Cat Island.
• A US$61.25 million tourism-linked financing deal to build a 150-room Homewood Suites by Hilton in Barbados.

These transactions reflect ACTIF’s commitment to moving beyond dialogue to tangible, mutually beneficial infrastructure, tourism, and trade investments.

Regional and International Participation

The Forum is attended by over a dozen current and former heads of state and government officials, including:

• Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados
• Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica
• Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis
• Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia
• H.E. Kassim Majaliwa, Prime Minister of Tanzania
• H.E. Prudence Sebahizi, Minister of Trade and Industry, Rwanda
• The Most Hon. PJ Patterson, Former Prime Minister of Jamaica
• H.E Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria
• H.E Mahamadou Issoufou, Former President of Niger

ACTIF2025 continues through July 30 with panel discussions, business matchmaking sessions, cultural performances, and further deal signings. The event has attracted unprecedented engagement, with over 1,700 registered participants, highlighting the accelerated momentum in Africa-Caribbean collaboration.

The Forum is seen as both a celebration of shared heritage and an economic incubator, forging pathways to sustained growth, resilience, and cultural exchange in a globally uncertain era.