By: Staff Writer
September 10, 2021
The inaugural Africa/CARICOM summit held on September 7 called out European nations for their neglect of both regions as Caribbean leaders called for deepening partnerships between the diaspora.
Gaston Brown, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda and chairperson of CARICOM, speaking at the summit, said: “I start from the premise that Europe under-developed Africa and left the Caribbean under-development. In essence, they left us with a legacy of poverty, of malnutrition, and illiteracy.”
Most of which is true if we take into consideration the abuse and racism that fuelled the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and also what was done to numerous countries in Africa, how it was split up post-War and how European powers have installed and removed leadership at their leisure leaving a vacuum in intellectual capacity and manpower shortages throughout the continent of Africa as well as disadvantaging slaves in their new Caribbean environment.
For the Caribbean, one only has to look at Haiti and what happened to them post Haitian-Revolution when France left them to their devices and forced them to pay $150m francs for France’s loss of property including slaves. A sum that took Haiti over 100 years to repay, with the last interest payments being paid in 1947.
Mr Browne also said that through the European and North-American control over global financial systems and trade, they continue to hold Caribbean and African countries hostage as well as other developing nations in a “trap.”
Adding to the conversation was prime minister of Belize and incoming CARICOM chairperson, Juan Antonio Briceño, who said: “Now we are obligated to build on the vision and foundation laid by our forebears, Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley and Isaiah Morter of Belize, those who understood the inseparably of the Caribbean and Africa.”
Highlighting the investment opportunities that can be exploited between the regions, Andrew Holness, prime minister of Jamaica, said: “The challenges of the last year and a half have reinforced the possibilities and value of the Africa CARICOM relationship, most critically, Jamaica and the Caribbean region benefited greatly from the African Union’s provision of access to COVID-19 vaccines and other critical medical supplies through the innovative AMSP (Africa medical supplies platform), which has been a game changer for the continent and for us.
“The Africa continental free trade area is another creating an enabling environment for the flow of investment and tourism.
“For Jamaica, there is potential in the agro industry and logistics sector and Jamaican companies have already invested in Africa. Opportunities also exist for scientific research and collaboration, investment in health care, technological innovation and digitization as well as in the creative economy.”
The European Union tried to lump the Caribbean, Africa and Pacific countries under one umbrella with the Economic Partnership Agreement, which was a great attempt at strengthening linkages. However, observers saw the EPA as too European centric and didn’t go far enough to deepen ties between the developing countries and particularly between the Caribbean and Africa.
This summit is seen as the first step towards bridging the Atlantic divide for trade, investment and partnerships in education, healthcare and other initiatives African people hold dearly.