LONDON, UK – July 22, 2026 – Standing at the podium of the London Stock Exchange for the Royal African Society’s 125th anniversary flagship business gathering, Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew has laid out a bold vision for a new, interconnected chapter of cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean, demanding urgent action to tear down long-standing barriers to cross-regional travel, trade and investment.
Drawing attention to the deep, enduring historical, cultural and ancestral bonds that link the two regions, Drew argued that these shared roots must now be translated into tangible, practical policy changes that ease the movement of people, goods, services and capital across Africa-Caribbean borders. He pointed to Saint Kitts and Nevis’ recent landmark policy of granting visa-free entry to citizens of every African nation as a concrete demonstration of the federation’s commitment to deepening ties with the continent.
“We cannot claim to be family while keeping unnecessary barriers in place between our people,” Drew told attendees of the event, framing the visa reform as a first step toward broader collaboration. He called for reciprocal expansion of visa-free travel arrangements across all Caribbean and African nations, and proposed the long-term development of a formalized Africa-Caribbean mobility framework, underpinned by cross-border cooperation, digital innovation and mutual policy trust.
Beyond travel liberalization, the prime minister stressed that meaningful economic integration requires targeted upgrades to regional connectivity infrastructure. He called for the launch of direct air routes between African and Caribbean markets, improvements to maritime shipping networks, streamlined customs clearance processes, and the adoption of modern digital payment platforms designed to reduce friction for cross-border commercial activity.
“No entrepreneur based in Saint Kitts and Nevis should have to navigate crippling financial and logistical hurdles just to do business with a customer in Africa,” Drew said, adding that removing these unnecessary frictions would unlock untapped economic potential on both sides of the Atlantic.
Drew also highlighted the transformative opportunity that closer alignment between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) would bring, noting that deeper integration would open new, expanded markets for businesses, entrepreneurs and investors across both regions.
He emphasized that successful integration cannot rely on political goodwill alone. To deliver lasting, inclusive growth, the partnership requires investment in modern cross-border infrastructure, coordinated regulatory policies, and ongoing institutional collaboration that gives people and businesses the certainty they need to connect and collaborate with confidence.
Closing his keynote address, Drew urged governments, multilateral financial institutions and private sector stakeholders from both regions to pool resources and coordinate action to build a seamless, mutually beneficial Africa-Caribbean partnership that delivers tangible economic gains for current and future generations.