The Fourth AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025) concluded with over $300 million in investment and trade deals sealed.
This is also accompanied by a robust communiqué reaffirming Africa and the Caribbean’s commitment to strengthening collaboration.
This was disclosed in a statement published on Afreximbank’s website on Friday.
According to Afreximbank, a total of eight major deals and memoranda were announced over the course of the forum, spanning infrastructure, tourism, digital transformation, and trade finance.
These include:
- A USD 100 million Receivables Discounting Facility with Bahamas Striping Group of Companies Ltd for road and infrastructure works.
- A USD 50 million Education Construction and Rehabilitation Climate-Linked Facility signed with The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- A USD 61.25 million Term Loan for the Homewood Suites by Hilton Barbados.
- A USD 40 million Receivables Facility for Cat Island Infrastructure Company Ltd in The Bahamas.
- A USD 40 million commercial port development agreement involving Gemini Integrated Commodities Trading Company Ltd and the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- A Memorandum of Understanding with the Grenada Development Bank to promote SME development and trade flows.
- A strategic cooperation MOU with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) to advance digital transformation.
- The Bank of The Bahamas Ltd was also appointed as an Afreximbank Trade Finance Intermediary, strengthening the financial ecosystem to support cross-border transactions.
What Grenada’s Prime Minister, others said:
In his closing statement, Grenada’s Prime Minister, Hon. Dickon Mitchell, reiterated the region’s resolve to institutionalise its collaboration with Africa:
“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. The reality is, what was created before was meant to entrap us.”
He also urged for unrestricted people-to-people movement between the regions:
“We are not here to prevent our people from moving. I see no valid reason for maintaining the visa systems… Biometrics allows us to move past that.”
From a financial and institutional standpoint, Dr. George Elombi, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank and incoming President, emphasised:
“The next phase is not about justifying our vision, it should be about conviction. Believing further in who we are, where we want to be, and acting decisively. Finance is the lifeline of trade. Once we integrate the payment systems and get them to see the Caribbean as the unique opportunity it is, the rest will follow.”
More insights
The official ACTIF2025 Communiqué welcomed the endorsement of the Global Africa Commission, by Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis and other OECS states, and called for its formal adoption at the upcoming AU-CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa in September.
- The Commission is expected to accelerate trade, culture, and investment frameworks across the diaspora and continent.
- Participants also committed to the establishment of a Free Trade Arrangement, elimination of visa restrictions, support for air and maritime links, and expansion of digital, sports, and creative economy partnerships.
- The communiqué recognized ACTIF2025 as a pivotal moment in building “resilient cross-regional value chains” and affirmed the continuation of the ACTIF platform with the announcement of ACTIF2026.
The two-day event, co-hosted by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Government of Grenada, drew over 2,100 delegates from 80 countries, including 11 Heads of State and Government, senior government representatives, private sector leaders, and development partners.
