Algiers, Algeria, September 4, 2025 (PMO) — Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, delivered a strong intervention on the opening presidential panel of the Intra-African Commerce Truthful in Algiers, right now, September 4th, urging leaders to rework the painful historical past of the transatlantic slave commerce right into a “Trans-Atlantic bridge of hope” that connects Africa and the Caribbean by way of commerce, funding, and shared improvement.
The high-level panel, chaired by His Excellency Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of Algeria, convened Heads of State, African Union officers, and international companions underneath the theme of building Africa as an financial powerhouse by way of the African Continental Free Commerce Space (AfCFTA). Representing the Caribbean as a part of the African Union’s sixth area, Prime Minister Drew emphasised the distinctive and historic position of the Caribbean in Pan-Africanism and outlined areas of alternative for deepened Africa-Caribbean partnerships.
“Tons of of years in the past, there was commerce between Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe,” Prime Minister Drew recalled. “That commerce was premised on what we name the triangular Atlantic slave commerce… Nonetheless, we imagine that that may be a distinct historical past right now, as a result of it was commerce for others to learn at our demise. We’re saying right now that as an alternative of taking a look at that occasion that harmed us, that we will see hope right now and set up what we will name the Trans-Atlantic bridge of hope, the place we reconnect the Caribbean and Africa by way of commerce for all of our advantages.”
The Prime Minister famous that whereas Africa-Caribbean commerce at the moment represents “roughly 1% or much less,” this determine represents not weak spot however potential. “Once I have a look at a small quantity like that, I see hope; it’s a silver line. There’s just one place that commerce can go. It can’t go down anymore. It is a chance to go up.”
Highlighting ongoing initiatives, Dr. Drew used the chance to reference rising academic, cultural, and financial linkages. “Since establishing this new relationship with Africa, we at the moment are benefiting from the Open College of Tanzania. We’re establishing a deeper relationship with vocational research in Kenya. We at the moment are looking for to ascertain higher relationships in Ghana. And this, after all, I might say, is the start and never the tip.”
He additional recognized precedence areas for expanded cooperation, together with rising know-how, agriculture, renewable power, tourism, well being care, sports activities, and the inventive industries. He famous, for example, that geothermal collaboration with nations like Kenya holds immense promise and that new direct air hyperlinks might revolutionize tourism flows between Africa and the Caribbean.
The Prime Minister additionally located his remarks within the historic Pan-African wrestle, recalling figures corresponding to Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey, George Padmore, and Kwame Nkrumah, and reaffirming the Caribbean’s longstanding position within the international motion for liberation and unity.
“…I wish to deliver a message from the Caribbean,” Dr. Drew declared. “That we’re a lot built-in, and we’re a lot enthusiastic about bringing a higher relationship with Africa because the continent and its sixth area. This can assist us to create alternatives for our folks and to rewrite a historical past, however a historical past not written by them, however a historical past written by us, for us, by us, for our personal curiosity.”
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