Kenya will on Tuesday 7th September, 2021 virtually host the first-ever African–Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Summit, Chaired by HE President Uhuru Kenyatta. The theme of the Summit will be Unity Across Continents and Oceans: Opportunities for Deepening Integration.
The Summit is aimed at promoting closer collaboration between Africa Diaspora, People of African descent and the Caribbean and Pacific region and its institutions.
The CAROCOM Summit will bring together different dignitaries from across Africa and the Caribbean. These include Heads of State and Government of the African Union and the Caribbean Community Member States, as well as Chair of the African Union Commission, Chairs of Africa Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the CARICOM Troika, the CARICOM Secretariat, the Secretary-General of the Organization of the African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), and the President of Caribbean Development Bank.
The Summit comes after the 33rd Session (2020) of the African Union which affirmed the strong cultural and historical linkages between the people of Africa and Africa Diaspora and all people of African descent.
The Summit is therefore aimed at actualizing the mutual aspirations of both the Union and Community by promoting ties and engagement between its peoples. Issues of addressing the economic and communication challenges, fostering continent to continent integration, accessing the progress in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic and launching a collaboration between African and Caribbean regional continental organizations.
It is expected that the Summit will also build momentum and support for the formation of the Africa-Brazil-Caribbean Development Commission. This will in turn provide political goodwill and affirmation for activities aimed at forging closer ties with the African Diaspora and People of African Descent.
Key outcomes of the Summit will include an integrated greater economic trade and investment commitment between Africa and the Caribbean; and solidarity actions to address global challenges including COVID-19 and climate change, among others.
In addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the summit will seek to reach at and catalyze key strategic decisions and actions to insulate developing countries from the ravaging economic effects of the pandemic. They will also target availability and distribution of vaccines and sharing of best practices in Africa and the Caribbean.
It is anticipated that the summit will galvanize voluntary commitments by individual countries and other stakeholders to establish the AU-CARICOM Secretariat and institutionalize African Union–CARICOM collaboration.
It is also anticipated that the deliberations will lead to multiple initiatives of unity, collaboration, institution building, and people-to-people exchanges between Africa and the Caribbean.