CARICOM Chairman and Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J. Pierre, says the Caribbean Community continues to play a significant leadership role in the global campaign for reparatory justice, working alongside continental African partners to advance the cause.
In a message marking the fifth anniversary of CARICOM-Africa Day, observed September 7th, Pierre said the Community joins the Second International Decade for People of African Descent in honouring the resilience of enslaved ancestors and paying tribute to those lost to the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
The Chairman also highlighted deepening institutional ties between the two regions, pointing to a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the CARICOM and African Union Secretariats in September 2024, as well as growing engagement through Afreximbank’s Caribbean office, which he said is financing infrastructure, small businesses, and trade.
Pierre said joint initiatives in health services and air connectivity are also underway, aimed at boosting trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchange between the two regions.
He described the Caribbean as a vital part of the African Union’s “Sixth Region,” calling the relationship a model of South-South cooperation.