The Caribbean and Africa: The Path Forward

The history of the Caribbean and the African continent is one that dates back to the slave trade. Persons were taken from Africa and brought to the Caribbean where they were sold and enslaved. Over the course of history, countries in both continents have been plagued by the same development challenges: poverty, war, crumbling healthcare systems and exploitation from larger global powers etc. Today, the Caribbean and Africa boast independent nations looking to forge their own path and cultivate relationships within and between the regions. One example of this is the partnership framework of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which includes most of the Caribbean and six countries in Africa: Comoros, Guinea Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tome & Principe and Seychelles. Given the similarities in post-colonial developmental challenges, it would be beneficial for both regions to facilitate increased cooperation such as the SIDS framework and others across multiple sectors.

The push for increased cooperation is being facilitated by the two dominant regional organizations in both regions, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Union (AU). In an editorial on the CARICOM website Elizabeth Morgan, a Specialist in International Trade Policy and International Politics wrote:

“Prominent Caribbean nationals have contributed to the evolution of Pan-Africanism. Ghana, during its 2019 Year of Return, promoted closer cooperation with the diaspora. To further encourage diaspora engagement, the University of the West Indies (UWI), in November 2019, announced the establishment of the PJ Patterson Centre for Africa/Caribbean Advocacy. In the United Nations, through the years, CARICOM and African countries collaborated on matters, such as decolonization, anti-apartheid advocacy, and proposals for a New International Economic Order”

With the current COVID-19 pandemic on a constant rise with no near end in sight, regions like the Caribbean and Africa are searching for ways to best protect their citizens. Even with multiple vaccines on the market, procuring them has been a challenge for the Caribbean as the global powers have hoarded vaccine supplies. Even with CoVAX, a scheme to ensure equitable access to vaccines sponsored by the World Health Organization, these nations are still left vulnerable. The Caribbean received an offer from the African Union to share the 270 million vaccine doses that the AU has accessed on the global market. Inter-regional cooperation will increase bargaining power to possibly gain more vaccines for both regions. This is one example of how cooperation between the two regions can begin to combat the consequences of being smaller states in the global economy.

Tourism and Transportation - The potential for increased tourism between AU member states and CARICOM remains huge, although untapped. Holiday destinations in Europe and the Americas have for long been ideal travel spots for most Africans. However, securing travel visas to the United States or Europe can be cumbersome given evolving immigration requirements, thus deterring travelers. Island nations in the Caribbean have positioned their economies around tourism, making them an ideal destination for many Europeans and Americans. So, why are Africans not taking advantage of the Caribbean given the less stringent visa requirements? Well, issues revolving around transportation could be the problem. Direct flights from the African continent to the Caribbean did not exist until December 23rd, 2020. Prior to Airpeace flying from Lagos to Jamaica, African tourists enroute the Caribbean would have to connect through North America. The SINGLE AFRICAN AIR-TRANSPORT MARKET (SAATM) under the African Union’s Agenda 2063 aims to boost regional connectivity which, if successfully implemented, would redefine the scope of travel within the continent. The SAATM could potentially enhance air travel between Africa and the Caribbean, creating opportunities for the flow of people and services. 

Trade and Investment - Global trade remains fiercely competitive, and for countries in the global south, this often results in being sidelined by more advanced economies. Consequently, states in the AU and CARICOM remain at the mercy of both the East and West as it relates to trade. Therefore, multilateral cooperation between both regions would bring about an increased bargaining power in terms of trade and investment. At present, trade between the regions is relatively weak. With the full effects of Brexit looming, promoting intra-Commonwealth trade should be atop the list of leaders in these nations, especially between the nations in the Global South.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which came into effect in 2019 and with trade starting in 2021, stands to transform the nature of trade on the African continent. By virtue of the number of signatory states, the AfCFTA remains the largest free trade area in the world and is projected to massively boost trade among African countries. Beyond the confines of the continent, the agreement could enhance global trade, allowing African countries to be fully integrated into the global economy. The AfCFTA presents an opportunity for CARICOM member states to explore trade and investment opportunities with their counterparts in the AU.

Diplomacy - Currently CARICOM countries have few bilateral diplomatic ties with countries in the African Union. Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago have diplomatic missions in South Africa and Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago have missions in Nigeria. Jamaica had an embassy in Ethiopia from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Nigeria and South Africa have missions in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. In 2012 Haiti, a CARICOM member state, sought to join the African Union, a move that would have made the country the first country outside of the continent to join the union. The Caribbean country at present serves as an observing member at the AU and has pushed in the past to be an associate member of the Union. Haiti and the African continent have a deep history going back many centuries. The successful Haitian revolution led by Toussaint Louverture served as inspiration to future African states in their quest for political and economic independence. The camaraderie between Haiti and the African continent runs deep and transcends beyond a shared history of slavery. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, several African countries extended assistance to the country. Reports indicated that a total of over 20 African countries pledged and donated roughly $50 million in relief support to Haiti. In 2019 CARICOM opened a diplomatic mission in Nairobi, this is a taste of what could come. Instead of individual countries footing the bill to open embassies, Caribbean countries could foster joint embassies, via CARICOM, in strategic regions of Africa. So too, the African Union can facilitate AU embassies throughout the Caribbean. This would promote inter-regional travel, fostering closer diplomatic relationships and a springboard for other inter-regional cooperation.

Education - The Caribbean boasts the globally and regionally ranked University of the West Indies (UWI), St. George's University, and many others. Additionally, the continent of Africa has globally accredited universities from South Africa up to Egypt. This is one area of cooperation between the two regions that would have lasting effects. For this area to be successful there would need to be increased diplomatic relationships as well as a wide variety of travel routes.

Having West Indians travelling, studying, and possibly settling in countries in Africa and vice versa, would establish a diaspora in both regions that will undoubtedly foster partnerships and frameworks throughout the two regions. Governments in these regions should provide scholarships to aid students in their studies in either region. Professors should have open networks to teach and so research work throughout the region. The PJ Patterson Centre for Africa/Caribbean Advocacy at UWI is the perfect launching point for educational cooperation.

COVID-19’s vaccine distribution has shown failures in the global market. These failures have existed for decades and have hindered the growth of the Global South (GS). Regionalism and inter-regional cooperation, i.e. South-South cooperation, is one way to increase bargaining power to mitigate the effects of the global market on these nations. The current status of the relationship between the AU and CARICOM is promising but there is still much to be done.

There are several areas outlined here and many missing where these two regions can benefit from inter-regional cooperation. The African Union and CARICOM have more in common and should explore opportunities to further the tenets of multilateralism. Therefore, the need for deeper cooperation remains critical in areas such as trade, diplomacy, tourism, and education. By forging stronger ties, both regions would not only improve regional cooperation but create avenues for bilateral relations between member states. Increased diplomatic ties will enhance the flow of goods and services (through trade agreements) and people. The benefits of mutual cooperation stand to serve the AU and CARICOM in the midst of an increasingly globalized world. Therefore, the pursuance of opportunities for both bilateral and multilateral engagements should be of strategic importance to both regional organisations.