Interview : “We Are Going To Highlight The Opportunities”

What path has been covered in the process of creating a free trade area between Africa and the Caribbean?
We are very much at the beginning. The idea has been brought up through the African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank); the next stage is for us to conclude a memorandum of understanding between the African Union and the Caribbean Community (Caricom). When we conclude that, we are going to a wake programme. One of the elements of the wake programme is to get input from member States, both from the Caribbean and from the African Union. We are going to take it to the member States. And when we are going to take it to the member States. We will come back from the member States, and they will say we have to develop a road map if they accept it. When developing the road map, we will have to look at what needs to be done on the Africa Union side and what needs to be done on the Caricom side. And how do we facilitate trade and investment flows between the two regions?

What are the prerequisites for the success of this project?
The main prerequisite is back in. We need input from the member States, the private sector, and all the other stakeholders. That is the first step. The second step is to increase trade and investment flows between the two regions. So, when we have those trade and investment flows, then the foundation will be set up for us to increase economic relations.
 

Do you think trade between these two regions can have a positive impact on the development of these two regions?
Yes, of course. When you look at the world today, there are so-called global norths and so-called global souths. In the global south, the main agenda is economic and social development. So, when you are pursuing economic development, you need to use every possible avenue to drive that process. Promoting and increasing trade relations among developing countries is one element of...