When Bob Marley sang of returning to Africa, he often evoked Ethiopia as a spiritual homeland, calling on Jamaicans and other Caribbean people to reconnect with their roots.
Half a century later, that vision has taken real shape, with a small but vibrant Caribbean community now living in Ethiopia.
On 6 September, they gathered at Addis Ababa’s Holy Trinity Cathedral to meet CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, who urged them to play a role in deepening ties between Africa and the Caribbean.
The event was held at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa on the eve of CARICOM-Africa Day and just before the second CARICOM-Africa Heads of Government meeting, which was also the first to be held in person.
Barnett told the gathering it was her honor to stand before “sons and daughters of the Caribbean” who had made a home in Africa, finding familiar history and culture there. She reminded them of the Caribbean’s long history of migration, noting that almost all Caribbean people are migrants, whether by choice or by force. She said the diaspora has carried its vibrant culture around the world, including to Ethiopia.
She updated the group on the state of CARICOM, saying the Community continues to thrive despite challenges. Tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and construction remain key economic pillars, while democracy stays strong. She warned, however, that like Africa, the region faces natural disasters, changing trade rules, and geopolitical tensions.
Barnett highlighted a Memorandum of Understanding signed last year between CARICOM and the African Union, covering cooperation in areas such as health, trade, air transport, and cultural exchanges.
She pointed to events like the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum and CARIFESTA XV in Barbados, which featured Ghanaian theater, as signs of stronger ties.
She said both regions must build on shared heritage to expand trade, transport links, cultural cooperation, and climate action. With diaspora communities as a bridge, she called for creating a joint legacy that is transformative and sustainable for both the Caribbean and Africa.
Source: CARICOM.
