Caribbean News
Afreximbank CARICOM office opened in Barbados
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#Barbados, August 14, 2023 – The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), CARICOM office was officially opened in Bridgetown Barbaods cementing the Bank’s efforts to promote and develop trade between Africa and the Caribbean, in line with its diaspora strategy and the African Union’s designation of the African diaspora as Africa’s
sixth region.
Benedict Oramah, president and chairman of the board of directors of Afreximbank, was speaking at the official opening event on August 4th, 2023 and he referred to this move as an aiding factor critical to facilitating operations of the bank in the Caribbean Community.
The office will make sure that Afreximbank’s products and initiatives are closer to the business community, as well as gaurantee faster operations to create fortified relations with the Governments in the region towards the pursuit of mutually identified priorities.
He also said, “With the launch of the CARICOM office, we look forward to a smooth implementation” of trade and access to finance initiatives, “broader business origination across the CARICOM, and more impactful results from our partnership….We also look forward to Afreximbank subsidiaries [finding] homes in CARICOM, especially the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), PAPSS and AfrexInsure. Over time, CARICOM and African financial systems will become better integrated for the benefit of our people.”
Mia Mottley, Barbados prime minister also spoke at the event and she said, “This is not just a proud moment historically, but it is also a move that makes sense,” that will “benefit our regional private sector and our regional state-owned corporations who need access to a more empathetic, reasonable [bank] and one willing to take risks…that would allow our people to move and grow to the next level.”
Additonally, she pointed out that the establishment of the office is in line with promises made by the bank during the first AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum held in Barbados in 2022.
Furthermore, Mottley highlighted the strong relationship between Africa and the Caribbean referring to the loyalty
Africa has displayed towards the region. She referred to the assistance through the African Medical Supplies Platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. She expressed that Africa welcomed the Caribbean Community and facilitated access to equipment, therapeutics and vaccines, with the payment mechanism facilitated through Afreximbank.
The office wasn’t the only new development under Afreximbank. In December of 2022, Afreximbank approved a US$1.5-billion funding to allow member states of CARICOM that had ratified the Partnership Agreement with Afreximbank, to have access to the bank’s various financial instruments.
However, since July 11, 2023, 11 of the 15 CARICOM member states signed the partnership with Afreximbank, and now the financing will be put towards supporting critical economic sectors aimed at boosting the development of trade-enabling infrastructure, as well as improving trade and investments between Africa and the CARICOM member states, while supporting small and medium enterprises. Additionally, the bank also made a commitment to increase the credit limit to US$3 billion.
The bank will support the implementation of the Partnership Agreement between Afreximbank and CARICOM member states, aimed at expanding Africa-Caribbean trade and investment relations.
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
-
TCI News1 week agoExperience Turks and Caicos and Ministry of Tourism explore development of Cruise industry at Seatrade Global Cruise Conference
-
Latin America and Caribbean6 days agoRegional SDGs Update
-
Crime1 week agoFollowing Court ruling, US Embassy Doubles Down on Warning: DO NOT TRAVEL TO TCI WITH GUNS, AMMO
-
Bahamas News7 days agoEnvironment State-Minister updates ‘Our Ocean’ forum on The Bahamas as SIDS leader in sustainable tourism
-
Bahamas News5 days agoPacesetting Cohort of Eleuthera Residents Graduate from Leading Light Programme
-
Caribbean News1 week agoU.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHINES AS A PREMIER DESTINATION AT THE 2024 SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL CONFERENCE
-
Caribbean News1 week agoRBC appoints new Head of Caribbean Banking
-
Bahamas News6 days agoNassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security