St Kitts and Nevis set to host 2026 AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew made an important announcement during his keynote address at the 32nd Annual Meetings of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Abuja, Nigeria on Wednesday, June 25. He revealed that the twin island nation will be hosting the 2026 edition of the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF). 

This announcement has put St Kitts and Nevis at the heart of a historic and growing initiative to strengthen institutional and commercial ties between Africa and the twin island nation. Notably, the ACTIF series which was launched in 2022 by Afreximbank, has become a premier platform for the reinforcement of ties across the Atlantic. This platform brings together hundreds of investors, policymakers, and business leaders from both regions. 

The Prime Minister of the twin island nation said, “St Kitts and Nevis is honoured to be chosen as the host of ACTIF 2026.” He reported that the 2026 edition of the forum will address economic issues and will play a great role in cultural reconnection, in innovation, and in shared growth. 

Moreover, the hosting of ACTIF 2026 accelerates the development of St Kitts and Nevis under the Sustainable Island State Agenda (SISA), with significant reforms being implemented in renewable energy, food security, healthcare modernization, and investment facilitation. Also, this will also be the first time that the twin island nation will be hosting the large-scale event, highlighting the growing role of St Kitts and Nevis as a trade centre between the African and Caribbean communities. 

During the Afreximbank conference, several African and Caribbean leaders were in attendance along with financial institutions, private sector players and various development partners. PM Drew highlighted the importance of strategic collaboration, mutual investment, and a shared vision for global economic empowerment. 

PM Drew’s keynote address at 32nd Annual Meetings of African Export-Import Bank

In his address, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis discussed the long-standing relationship of shared history, resilience and mutual aspirations between the two regions. He further shared, “Resilience brought us this far, but it is reinvention that will carry us forward. The work of reconnecting Africa and the Caribbean is no longer about symbolism, it’s about systems. It’s about reshaping the machinery of cooperation so it no longer echoes only our history, but actively builds our future.”

PM Drew also lauded the work of Afreximbank, run by President and Professor Benedict Oramah, for its years of bold leadership and expanding footprint in the Caribbean region. He praised the bank’s efforts in modernizing trade, and finance, building “a new kind of bridge, built not of wood and steel, but of people, of partnership, of purpose.”

Notably, under the leadership of Professor Benedict Oramah, the bank opened a regional office in Barbados, and launched initiatives like the $1.5 billion Caribbean - Africa Trade and Investment Program (CATIP), and the annual AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF), which has secured over $6 billion in trade and investment deals since its first hosting.

PM Drew reported, “St Kitts and Nevis was proud to be the first country in the Caribbean to sign an MoU with Afreximbank. We believed in the Bank’s vision. That decision has become one of the most impactful and future-facing we have made in recent years, not just for our nation, but for the entire CARICOM region.”

Furthermore, while discussing the broader global context, PM Drew highlighted the resilience of African and Caribbean economies and culture when united and said, “We seek access, respect, and a seat at the table. And we offer in return our creativity, resilience, market potential, and strategic location.”