The heads of state and government of the Caribbean Community concluded their 50th conference on February 27, 2026, in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Among the special guests was Dr. George Elombi, President of Afreximbank, whose presence illustrates the acceleration of economic rapprochement between Africa and the Caribbean.
The 50th Conference of Heads of State and Government of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community, was held from February 24 to 27, 2026, in Basseterre, under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Terrance Drew, current President of the Community.
This “golden jubilee” meeting of Caribbean integration was marked by a level of participation rarely achieved: all member states and associate members were represented and 20 of the 21 heads of government were present, according to the authorities of Saint Kitts and Nevis, a level of mobilization “the highest in more than a decade” and which demonstrates the commitment of Caribbean states to strengthening their unity.
“As we depart from this gathering, may we do so grounded into togetherness, confident in our shared strength, and unwavering in our collective purpose. The Caribbean has always risen from adversity, we have gone through slavery, we have gone through indentured labor, we have gone through colonization and yet today the Caribbean stands as a beacon on the world stage. Surely we have risen from adversity.”
Terrance Drew, Chairman OF CARICOM – Saint Kitts and Nevis
Among the special guests was Dr. George Elombi, President of Afreximbank, whose presence illustrates the acceleration of economic rapprochement between Africa and the Caribbean. Discussions with leaders focused on development financing, climate resilience, digital transformation, and regional security.
Afreximbank is promoting several concrete levers to structure this transatlantic corridor. In Bridgetown, Barbados, in March 2025, the bank launched the construction of an African Trade Center, announced at $180 million, presented by CARICOM as a “tangible expression” of the new phase in Caribbean-African relations. Another instrument is support for resilience, with a €708,000 grant awarded to the CARICOM Development Fund to prepare a “green” and sustainability financing mechanism
“We think there is now a need to mobilize Global African Capital in a most aggressive way. Through bold and decisive actions, we are rebuilding the once-broken ties between Africa and people of African descent around the world. These courses of action fulfil the centuries-old aspiration of Pan-Africanists such as Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah, W.E.B. Du Bois, George Padmore, Edward Blyden, and many others who have long advocated for the reunification of all people of African descent.”
George Elombi, President of Afreximbank – Cameroon
With the Caribbean, Afreximbank also relies on its ACTIF (AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum) platform. The International Trade Centre estimates that trade between Africa and the Caribbean could reach $1.8 billion by 2028, while Afreximbank points out that today, the two regions trade less than 1% of their exports between them, a potential that remains largely untapped.
