GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Caribbean Community (Caricom) chairman, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is urging the 15-member grouping to maintain the momentum of fostering a closer relationship with Africa as the region prepares to observe the inaugural Africa-Caricom Day on September 7.

“As Caricom, we continue to prioritise efforts to build on our deep historic and cultural ties with our sister African nations,” said Skerrit, the Prime Minister of Dominica.

“We are keen to identify new avenues for partnership and collaboration and advance existing initiatives to expand trade and commercial relations between our two regions,” he added.

The decision to observe Africa-Caricom Day was taken during the inaugural summit of African and Caribbean leaders on September 7, 2021. It signalled an ongoing commitment to strengthen relationships between the two regions.

A Caricom statement noted that following the summit, initiatives to strengthen Africa-Caricom’s cooperation have quickened in areas of strategic importance to the regions.

Skerrit is urging Caricom to maintain momentum to foster the region’s “increasingly important and fast developing relationship” with Africa and the African Union and called on the region to host meaningful activities to mark Africa-Caricom Day.

He is also encouraging Caribbean people to embrace the spirit of Africa-Caricom Day as the Community seeks to deepen cooperation with Africa.