The Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Symposium
The Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Symposium is an important forum for creating and expanding business and trade linkages between Trinidad and Tobago, Africa and the rest of the Diaspora. The Symposium combines enlightening discussions with opportunities for networking. Over the past 15 years, the Symposium has featured prominent business professionals from across the diaspora including Ms. Judith Aidoo, CEO, Caswell; Mr. Harry Alford, President National Black Chamber of Commerce (USA); Prince Billy Harry, Vice President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mining & Agriculture; representatives of the AU, ECOWAS, the World Bank. Delegations have attended from South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria and other African countries and provided the impetus for trade delegations between Africa and Trinidad and Tobago. It is an essential vehicle for growth, development and prosperity for Trinidad and Tobago as well as for the nations of Africa and the Diaspora around the world.
Building Trade Beyond Borders: Opportunities for SMES from the Caribbean and Ghana
For over 25 years the Emancipation Support Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (ESCTT) through the annual Trans-Atlantic Trade an Investment Symposium (TATIS), has strongly advocated and created opportunities for the advancement of trade and investment between Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. The interest in doing business with Africa is growing not only here in Trinidad but across the Caribbean. The annual Africa Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF)which has been hosted annually since 2021 by the African Export Import Bank is testament to this fact.
Recognizing the importance and relevance of this leading African development finance institution’s outreach and growing presence in the Caribbean, the ESCTT remains committed to supporting the Afreximbank in its endeavour to further develop and strengthen trade and investment links between Africa and the Caribbean. In 2026 the ESCTT plans to lead a contingent of SME’s from Trinidad and Tobago to attend and support ACTIF.
Trinidad and Tobago has also indicated its keen interest in doing business in Africa with a focus at this time, on trade relations with Ghana. Following the 2023 Trade and Investment Symposium the then Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Trade and Investment committed to lead a trade mission to Ghana which took place in March 2024. The 50-member delegation included representatives of government as well as business leaders. One of the significant outcomes of that trade mission was the signing of a a Memorandum of Understanding between the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) to formalize and foster increased trade collaboration in the manufacturing sector. One of the areas of collaboration proposed was SME development through joint ventures, partnerships and technical support. This MOU is further supported by the promulgation of a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) signed in September 2024. The BIT
provides legal safeguards and dispute resolution frameworks for protection against unfair treatment.
The 2026 Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Symposium seeks to build upon these developments o consolidate achievements of past years, learn from varied challenges and successes and create a platform that will establish learning networks and facilitate trade partnerships and investment opportunities for businesses in Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana with a particular focus on SME’s owned by women and youth.
Objectives of 2026 Trade and Investment Symposium:
- To create a forum to facilitate interaction between businesses (with a special emphasis on SME’s owned by women and youth) from Trinidad and Tobago and those from Ghana.
- To provide information about the existing signed and potential trade agreements that will assist businesses from Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago to successfully engage in import / export activities between Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana.
- To explore the opportunities for joint ventures and partnerships between businesses from Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana.
- To launch a 3-year virtual incubator accelerator programme for SMEs (with a focus on those owned by women and youth) from Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana.
- To introduce digital platforms to facilitate immediate entry into foreign markets without physical presence, testing of demand using small inventory batches and lower customer acquisition cost.
- To prepare SMEs for participation in ACTIF 2026
Expected Outcomes:
- A compendium of SMEs from Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago and their products for import/ export
- Guidelines for engagement in trade and investment activities between Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago including the regulatory environment and consumer preferences
- Details of a three-year trade and investment incubator / accelerator programme for SME’s (with a focus on those owned by women and youth) from Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana
- Completed registration forms for entrepreneurs who will participate in the incubator accelerator programme
- Identification of specific Digital Platforms which can be used to facilitate e commerce between SMEs in Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana
- Participation of ESCTT contingent in 2026 ACTIF.
Thursday 23rd July, 2026
Batimamselle Room, National Academy for the Performing Arts, NAPA | 9 am to 5 pm
