St. Kitts and Nevis is reaffirming its commitment to deepening ties with Africa, with the Government highlighting trade, investment, healthcare, education, mobility and reparatory justice as key areas for greater cooperation.
The message was delivered as the Federation joined countries across the Caribbean, Africa and the wider Global African Diaspora on September 7 to mark the fifth anniversary of Africa-CARICOM Day.
In a statement published by the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service, the Government reflected on the evolution of Africa-CARICOM relations since the inaugural Africa-CARICOM Summit in 2021, noting that the relationship has expanded beyond shared history and ancestry into a broader strategic partnership.
The first Africa-CARICOM Summit was held virtually on September 7, 2021, bringing African and Caribbean leaders together around areas of mutual interest, including economic development, diplomacy, health, education, culture and climate resilience.
The Government said Saint Kitts and Nevis now wants to translate that relationship into practical opportunities for citizens and people across both regions.
A major example highlighted in the statement is the Federation’s growing relationship with Ghana.
According to SKNIS, Prime Minister the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew’s official state visit to Ghana earlier this year resulted in increased cooperation between the two countries, including the formalisation of a mechanism for structured political consultations and expanded collaboration in economic, commercial, scientific, technical and cultural matters.
The two countries also removed visa requirements for ordinary passport holders, a move the Government said could help facilitate greater movement for tourism, business, education and people-to-people exchanges.
Healthcare cooperation has emerged as another tangible area of the relationship.
A bilateral labour arrangement with Ghana has facilitated the recruitment of healthcare professionals to support the Federation’s health sector. The Government said 47 trained Ghanaian nurses have recently arrived in Saint Kitts and Nevis and are contributing to healthcare delivery in hospitals and clinics.
Education and youth engagement are also being developed, with discussions involving the Ministry of Education and the University of Ghana aimed at expanding opportunities for academic, research and cultural cooperation.
The Government has also pointed to its relationship with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as part of efforts to strengthen economic and financial connections between Africa and the Caribbean.
Saint Kitts and Nevis was selected to host the fifth AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum, which was intended to provide a platform for African and Caribbean governments, businesses, investors and entrepreneurs to explore opportunities for trade and investment.
However, the 2026 forum was subsequently deferred because of prevailing public-health circumstances.
Despite the postponement, the Government said its commitment to strengthening commercial and economic links between the two regions remains unchanged.
Prime Minister Drew has previously used the concept of an “Atlantic Bridge” to describe his vision for Africa-Caribbean relations. At the Second Africa-CARICOM Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on September 7, 2025, he called for the historical legacy of the transatlantic slave trade to be transformed into a relationship centred on opportunity, development and cooperation.
That vision includes closer collaboration in areas such as trade, investment, healthcare, education, climate action, transportation, global financial reform, cultural exchange and reparatory justice.
The Government’s Africa-CARICOM Day message also placed renewed emphasis on the historical relationship between Africa and the Caribbean.
It acknowledged the devastating impact of the transatlantic slave trade, which forcibly displaced millions of Africans and sought to strip communities of their languages, cultures, identities and family connections.
Despite that history, the Government said African heritage remains deeply embedded in Caribbean society, including in the region’s music, food, spirituality, traditions and cultural identity.
Beyond cultural ties, the Government argued that Africa and the Caribbean share common interests in addressing some of the major challenges facing developing countries.
These include climate change, debt sustainability, reform of international financial institutions, sustainable development and reparatory justice.
The statement noted that during Saint Kitts and Nevis’ chairmanship of CARICOM earlier this year, Prime Minister Drew reaffirmed the Community’s commitment to advancing the reparations agenda and keeping reparatory justice central to the Caribbean’s engagement with the international community.
As Africa-CARICOM Day reaches its fifth anniversary, the Government said the partnership must ultimately be judged by tangible results, including greater movement of people, increased trade and investment, knowledge exchange and expanded opportunities for future generations.
For Saint Kitts and Nevis, the relationship with Africa represents both a reconnection with a shared heritage and an opportunity to build a stronger future transforming the Atlantic from a symbol of historical separation into a bridge for partnership, prosperity and opportunity.
