During the Diaspora and Friends of South Africa Roundtable held in New York, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has issued a clarion call for African and Caribbean nations to take greater ownership of the critical infrastructure that powers the movement of people, capital and data across both regions. Davis argues that self-owned infrastructure is the foundation of long-term economic sovereignty, pushing for targeted investment in cross-regional assets including data centers, digital payment platforms, air connectivity and integrated trade corridors that would link African economies to each other and the Caribbean.
In his address, Davis drew a clear distinction between remittances and strategic investment, noting: “Remittance is love. Investment is power. Love keeps a family alive. Power keeps a nation free.” He went on to position The Bahamas as a strategic hub connecting Africa, the Caribbean and the broader Americas, highlighting untapped investment opportunities across key sectors including food security, renewable energy development, financial technology (fintech), manufacturing and logistics. “Let The Bahamas be your gateway to the Caribbean and the Americas,” he invited attendees.
Davis acknowledged that despite deep shared historical and cultural ties between Africa and the Caribbean, tangible practical and economic connections between the two regions remain woefully underdeveloped. Reflecting on The Bahamas’ own historical economic orientation, he noted: “For most of our life as an independent nation, The Bahamas has looked north. North for our visitors, our capital, our markets and our banks. There were good reasons. But in looking north for so long, we forgot to look east, towards the land our ancestors came from.”
The Prime Minister openly admitted that his administration still faces work to deepen these cross-regional ties, pointing to the significant barriers that currently complicate travel between The Bahamas and South Africa as one clear example. Rather than framing these gaps as insurmountable challenges, Davis reframed them as high-potential economic opportunities for forward-thinking investors.
He outlined key structural inequities holding back both regions: Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most expensive region globally for sending remittances, and cross-border payments between Caribbean and African businesses are almost always routed through third-party financial institutions in other parts of the world. On the digital infrastructure front, he highlighted a staggering gap: Africa is home to nearly 20 percent of the global population but holds less than 1 percent of the world’s total data center capacity.
“Digital sovereignty means deciding where our data lives, who may use it and on what terms,” Davis said. “It means sharing in the value it creates. It means entering the digital age as owners, not only as users.”
Turning to The Bahamas’ own investment landscape, Davis outlined two key priority areas for international partnership: The country currently imports approximately 90 percent of its food supply, creating opening for local agricultural and food processing investment, and it has set a target to generate 30 percent of its total electricity from renewable sources by 2030. He also highlighted The Bahamas’ growing fintech and digital sectors, as well as the competitive advantages offered by Grand Bahama’s free trade zone and deep-water port.
Davis pointed to the growing partnership between The Bahamas government and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as a blueprint for future cross-regional collaboration. In February 2025, The Bahamas signed a $200 million framework agreement with Afreximbank to develop climate-resilient infrastructure, and the bank has recently expanded its financing ceiling for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) from $3 billion to $5 billion. “African capital is building Caribbean resilience, and earning a return doing it,” Davis said. “Solidarity is not a speech. Solidarity is a balance sheet.”
Looking back to historical ties between The Bahamas and anti-apartheid movement, Davis invoked the 1985 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Nassau, where global leaders adopted the landmark Nassau Accord calling for coordinated international action against apartheid in South Africa. He also recalled Nelson Mandela’s historic visit to The Bahamas following his release from prison. For the current generation of leaders, Davis argued, the core challenge is advancing economic and digital sovereignty for both regions. “In 1985, The Bahamas chose South Africa’s freedom,” Davis said. “In 2026, let Africa and the Caribbean choose each other.”