Africa-Press – Angola. Angolan President João Lourenço on Saturday outlined the main axes for strengthening cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean region, emphasizing the importance of defining clear goals and effectively implementing decisions already made.
In his opening speech in Addis Ababa at the 2nd Summit between the African Union (AU) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), he emphasized that Africa and the Caribbean must move forward with greater determination to fulfill the commitments made, strengthening cooperation in strategic sectors and establishing clear mechanisms to transform decisions into concrete benefits for the peoples of both regions.
“We are very pleased to note that there is a dynamic that makes us believe in the achievement of our common objectives and, in this very particular aspect, I would like to highlight the important progress that has been made within the scope of our cooperation, of which I highlight the establishment of the AfreximBank Office in the Caribbean,” he stated.
According to the Head of State, this important step opened up new trade and investment opportunities, as well as the holding of the Afro-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forums, now in their 4th edition, which have brought businesspeople and governments from both regions closer together.
He also highlighted the signing, on September 26, 2024, of a Memorandum of Understanding between the African Union and the Caribbean Community.
“We understand that this will strengthen cooperation in strategic areas such as trade, transportation, education, science, culture, and mutual support in global challenges,” he said.
Priorities to Implement
Despite the progress, João Lourenço emphasized that there are still unfulfilled commitments.
Therefore, he advocated as priorities the definition of a clear and objective roadmap for the creation of a Joint Communications and Media Platform, the signing of a Multilateral Air Services Agreement, the review of visa regimes and their exemption, as well as the creation of direct flights between Africa and the Caribbean.
He proposed the creation of an Africa-CARICOM Public-Private Partnership to mobilize resources and launch the Forum of African and Caribbean Territories and States.
The President considered it essential to strengthen joint efforts to transform decisions into lasting benefits, stimulating trade and investment in the energy, digital technology, agribusiness, and blue economy sectors.
In the cultural sphere, he emphasized the need to deepen educational, artistic, and sports exchanges, which reinforce shared identity.
In the social sphere, he highlighted the need to give an active voice to youth, universities, research centers, cultural organizations, and the diaspora.
In the Angolan statesman’s view, it is necessary to create Permanent Technical Subcommittees comprising representatives of the African Union and CARICOM, along with experts, civil society partners, the private sector, and ministerial officials.
These bodies, he explained, should focus their work on areas of common interest, presenting concrete proposals for investment in vaccine production, agricultural innovation, and other sectors that support shared development.
“It is important that we act in a coordinated manner to help drive the necessary reforms in the global financial architecture, which largely depend on a fairer approach to the debt issue and the provision of financial resources for implementing structural projects,” he argued.
João Lourenço also emphasized that youth must be central to all strategies.
To this end, he proposed the institutionalization of the African Union–CARICOM Youth Council as a permanent consultative body, ensuring that the younger generations are at the heart of building a common future.
Global Context
The President noted that the world is experiencing a period marked by profound transformations, notably the climate crisis, food and energy insecurity, geopolitical instability, forced migration, and extreme economic pressures.
According to the statesman, these challenges hit countries in the Global South most severely, especially those in Africa and the Caribbean, as they are the most deprived of resources and means.
However, he warned that these difficulties are exacerbated by the weakening of multilateral institutions, with a worrying impact on Africa and the Caribbean.
This situation, according to the President, requires a stronger cooperative effort to defend and constantly promote a comprehensive multilateralism, in which all peoples and nations are included on equal terms, without the marginalization to which Africans and Caribbeans have always been subjected.
The meeting, which is taking place at AU headquarters, aims to strengthen political, economic, and cultural cooperation ties between Africa and the Caribbean region, consolidating consultation on global issues of common interest.
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