ADDIS ABABA–
The 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit has brought together African nations, Caribbean states, and the global African diaspora to strengthen unity, deepen integration, and jointly pursue reparations and reparatory justice through a comprehensive transcontinental partnership framework, under the theme: “Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”
The Africa-CARICOM Summit is a gathering of African and Caribbean leaders aimed at strengthening the historic ties between the two regions and turning past injustices, including slavery and colonization, into opportunities for solidarity, cooperation, and reparative justice. The Summit focuses on political, economic, social, and cultural collaboration, advancing trade, investment, innovation, youth engagement, and shared development. The summit seeks to coordinate efforts on reparations, promote global advocacy, reform multidimensional institutions, and ensure that Africa and the Caribbean speak with one voice on the international stage. The Summit also emphasizes building lasting partnerships that uplift future generations, address structural inequalities, and create shared prosperity, well-being, and progress. The Summit highlighted the deep historic ties between Africa and the Caribbean. They emphasized solidarity, cooperation, and reparative justice, while outlining shared goals in trade, investment, innovation, and youth engagement, and called for a united voice on the global stage to advance prosperity and equity for all peoples of African descent.
The 2nd African-CRICOM was declared open by His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union. Highlighted that the 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit brings leaders together to transform past injustices into solidarity, cooperation, and justice. The 2025 summit builds on the first Summit held in 2021 and aims to reaffirm dignity, promote political, economic, social, and cultural cooperation, and advance reparative justice for Africans and Afro-descendants. Progress includes trade and investment initiatives, such as the AfreximBank office in the Caribbean, the Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum, and a Memorandum of Understanding between the African Union and CARICOM. Furthermore, he said the Summit underlines implementing decisions for lasting benefits, reforms in global financial architecture, youth engagement, and joint multilateral action, while expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Dr. Carla Barnett, secretary-general of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), stated in her opening speech that the 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit represents a homecoming for the Caribbean, reconnecting people separated by ocean, colonialism, and economic systems, but united through shared heritage. The Summit aims to strengthen partnerships in areas like health, trade, transportation, and investment, with initiatives such as the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and the Afreximbank partnership advancing collaboration. She emphasizes joint advocacy for financial reform, addressing the impacts of climate change, and increasing trade and investment. She noted that The Summit also focuses on reparations, with CARICOM’s Reparations Commission leading the justice movement, acknowledging the injustices of colonialism and the Transatlantic Slave Trade by Guided by Pan-African ideals, the Summit seeks to send a powerful message of cooperation, marking a historic step in deepening Africa-CARICOM relations.
Mr. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and the Head of the, United Nations Office to the African Union emphasized that the world must recognize that Africa and the Caribbean are victims of two compounded injustices: the impact of colonialism and the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and the fact that we were under colonial domination when today’s multilateral system was created. Decolonization alone was not enough, as political independence did not free countries from structures of exploitation and decades of underinvestment, highlighting the need for reparatory justice frameworks. Through collective advocacy, this historical injustice is now acknowledged. The United Nations supports reforming global institutions such as the Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions, with the Secretary-General vocal on this issue. People hope for a future of peace, dignity, and prosperity, which forms a common cause between Africa and the Caribbean. Correcting age-old injustices is essential to addressing present challenges, and many solutions already exist, as reflected in the ‘Pact for the Future’ adopted by the General Assembly last September. He urged that the future should prioritize dialogue and negotiation, end wars, leverage modern technologies like artificial intelligence, and usher in relations between nations based on sovereign equality, collective peace and security, and shared prosperity in greater freedom.
His Excellency, Abiy Ahmed Ali, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, highlighted that the Africa-CARICOM partnership is deliberate, purposeful, and lasting, built to address global challenges that require regional unity. Africa and the Caribbean bring complementary strengths, and together these are multiplied. Ethiopia’s experience with Medemer demonstrates the power of unity, deliberate action, and local solutions in driving progress through connection, culture, innovation, knowledge, and collective effort. Building on the first AU–CARICOM Summit, the “Bridges of Unity” initiative focuses on Agriculture and Digital Innovation, Innovation and Collaboration, Culture and Leadership, and Knowledge and Health, linking universities, economies, and cultures. Despite adversity, both regions now choose to face challenges together, defining their own solutions and future.
His Excellency, Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and incoming President of the Caribbean Community, emphasized that the 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit is a moment of reunion and a call for unity, remembrance, and acknowledgement of past injustices caused by the Slave Trade, slavery, and colonization. Repentance alone is no longer sufficient; demands for reparations are legitimate in addressing structural inequalities. The @_AfricanUnion and @CARICOMorg must strengthen solidarity, coordinate efforts through a Joint Mechanism, and promote investment, trade, innovation, and research between the regions. Africa and the Caribbean represent one-fifth of humanity and should speak with one voice on all international platforms to demand recognition of historic crimes, meaningful reparations, and the dismantling of systemic injustice. This summit marks a turning point to honor ancestors, uplift descendants, and reclaim a shared destiny in freedom, justice, and unity.
credit: AU
