For the last 25 years, the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Symposium has been the platform through which the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (ESCTT) has strongly advocated and worked to create opportunities for the advancement of trade and investment between Africa, the Caribbean, and Trinidad and Tobago.
This is definitely an idea whose time has come. Former Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson speaking at the 32nd Annual Meeting of Afreximbank (AAM2025) in Abuja, Nigeria, issued a compelling call for Africa and the Caribbean to urgently deepen their ties and work as one, warning that the time for symbolic talk is over and the moment for bold, united action is now. Our newly appointed Minister of Trade, Investment and tourism, Senator the Honourable Satyakama Maharaj has been engaging with stakeholders to strengthen Trinidad and Tobago’s trade and investment ecosystem, particularly focusing on connections with Africa.
In 2025, Africa and the Caribbean are now provided with a unique opportunity to pursue deepened economic ties and enhance their levels of trade and investment. On the heels of the Air Services Agreement signed between Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria last April, there are now similar talks with Ghana.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has declared that trade diversification was critical to improving the economic resiliency of the country and Africa, Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa, particularly, had been identified as key potential trade and investment partners in this thrust.
With those expectations in mind, this year’s theme for the trade symposium is “Opportunities for Economic Diversification and Resilience through Expansion of Trade and Investment with West Africa.”
“This edition of the symposium will be precisely on developing trade and investment between the regions,” added Ms Hazel Simonette -Herndon, an ESCTT director who is leading the charge for the symposium on July 31. This session will be held at the VIP Lounge at the Queen’s Park Savannah from 8am.
This year, the symposium will host Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism Senator the Honourable Satyakama Maharaj. The line up of presenters include Michael Sudarkasa, chairman of the Africa Business Group in South Africa; Dr Gillian Marcelle,
CEO of Resilience Capital Ventures LLC; and Stephen De Gannes, CEO of the Special Economic Zones Authority.
The objectives of the symposium include exploring the opportunities for direct trade and investment between Trinidad and Tobago and Nigeria and Ghana, as well as to seek collaboration with the Afrieximbank.
“We also want to encourage a strategic engagement of government actors who support private sector trade and investment and tourism initiatives in the Caribbean and West Africa. With it comes the hope that there is reduction of any tariff and non-tariff barriers to allow two-way business between the countries,” Ms Simonette-Herndon explained.
To be discussed are pathways to finance expanded trade, investment, broad economic and commercial cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean; the experience of African Export-Import Bank in funding projects in the Caribbean and the Bank’s interest in Trinidad and Tobago; as well as the Republic Bank presence in Ghana, looking at its successes and challenges as it relates to TT business and Ghanaian business.
“By the end of the symposium, we hope those attending would understand the industries that TT, Ghana and Nigeria have in common. Consequently, two or three actionable trade or investment opportunities could be explored and frameworks developed,” said Ms. Simonnette-Herndon. For further information and registration, contact the ESCTT Business Development Unit at 633-9235 or email transatnet.esc@gmail.com.