Prez. Mahama Urges Africa–Caribbean Economic Integration
By Esther Korantemaa Offei
President John Dramani Mahama has called for a new era of economic integration and political solidarity between Africa and the Caribbean, urging both regions to dismantle long-standing barriers and forge stronger partnerships across the Atlantic.
Speaking during the state visit of the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, President Mahama said historical divisions must give way to meaningful cooperation in trade, mobility, knowledge exchange and cultural renewal.
“The artificial mental and economic barriers that long separated Africa and the Caribbean must give way to bridges of trade, mobility, knowledge exchange and cultural renewal,” he stated.
He reaffirmed Ghana’s support for renewed engagement between the African Union and CARICOM, noting that political solidarity must now translate into tangible economic integration.
According to him, the expansion of the African Export-Import Bank into the Caribbean represents “a bold and strategic step towards unlocking trade, investment and financial cooperation across the Atlantic.”
“Our responsibility as leaders is to mobilize our people around a unifying vision, one that secures dignity, prosperity and global respect for people of African descent everywhere in the world,” President Mahama said.
He stressed the need to build systems that empower young people and expand opportunities, adding that Africa and the Caribbean must ensure their shared civilisation is defined “not by its trauma but by its successes.”
The President also announced that Ghana will host a high-level special event at the United Nations later this month focused on reparatory justice. He described the transatlantic slave trade and the racialised enslavement of Africans as “one of the gravest crimes against humanity.”
“Our call is not for charity. It is for justice,” he declared.
Calling for unity, President Mahama urged both regions to shape their own narrative. “It is time for our story to be told by us, grounded in truth and anchored in accountability. Together, Africa and the Caribbean must speak with one voice, with clarity, unity and moral conviction,” he said.
