The Africa-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) 2025, held on 28 and 29 July 2025 in Grenada, resulted in historic commitments to strengthen economic relations between Africa and the Caribbean. Key announcements include the creation of a Caribbean EXIM bank, a $250 million sustainable development fund, a regional payment system, and a proposed Africa-Caribbean free trade area.
Africa continues to grow strongly, thanks in particular to the constant and reinforced efforts to encourage trade with the rest of the world. Strengthening Africa-Caribbean cooperation also remains a priority for leaders in both regions. Given the vast opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area, the expansion of trade between Africa and the Caribbean is essential, particularly for promoting historical, cultural and political ties and accelerating trade and investment links between the two regions.
‘We must be very determined to institutionalise and create institutions that will recreate the kind of trade, investment, banking and financial relationships we want to establish.’
DICKON MITCHELL, Prime Minister – Grenada
Despite deep historical and cultural ties, Africa and the Caribbean continue to trade less than 1% of their exports between them, a striking reminder of untapped potential. The Fourth Africa-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF 2025), held on 28 and 29 July 2025 in Grenada, marked a significant step towards greater economic integration between Africa and the Caribbean in a context of growing global uncertainty.
« Finance is the engine of trade; it is what motivates people. If we can fully integrate this payment system, payments can be made easily, and if we can get African investors to see the Caribbean as an opportunity, then as they invest more, the momentum towards our brother Wamkele’s vision of creating an African free trade area including the Caribbean will become more natural and happen on its own. »
GEORGE ELOMBI, President of Afreximbank – Cameroon
Among the main resolutions adopted by the two parties are commitments such as a feasibility study for a Caribbean investment and money transfer bank (EXIM), the launch of a $250 million Green, Resilience and Sustainability Fund, and the Caribbean Payment and Settlement System (CAPSS) project, inspired by the African PAPSS, which will enable real-time cross-border transactions in local currencies. It should be noted that the 2024 edition of ACTIF, held in the Bahamas, was a resounding success, resulting in the signing of more than 15 agreements and memoranda of understanding worth more than US$4 billion.
“Whether it be road infrastructure or electronic infrastructure, all of these infrastructures must contribute to the blossoming of the African and Caribbean economies. From now on, we must no longer talk only about Africa as a continent, but also about the Caribbean as the sixth region of Africa, which is of the utmost interest to us.”
Patient Sayiba Tambwe, Member of the Board of Directors of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund – DRCongo
Conventions and memoranda of understanding were also established during the forum to strengthen and intensify collaboration between the two regions. In their conclusions, regional leaders promised not to settle for a simple exchange, but to put in place institutional structures to ensure progress and usher in a new era of pan-African and Afro-Caribbean economic sovereignty.
