LONDON, UK – July 23, 2026 – At a landmark anniversary business gathering hosted at the London Stock Exchange, the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis has framed the small Caribbean federation as an unmatched strategic connector between African markets, Caribbean regional opportunity, United Kingdom professional expertise and global investment capital. Speaking as the keynote presenter for the Royal African Society’s 125th Anniversary Flagship Business Event, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew positioned his nation as an emerging hub for cross-regional investment, innovative collaboration and economic diplomacy, anchored by the country’s ambitious Sustainable Island State Agenda, a holistic development framework already gaining global attention as a model for 21st-century resilient growth.
Dr. Drew used the high-profile platform to outline the federation’s expanding leadership in building formal, productive ties between the African continent and the Caribbean region. Key initiatives that underpin this role include a landmark strategic partnership with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), a groundbreaking policy granting visa-free entry to all African nationals, active participation in the Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit, and the federation’s recent selection as the official host of the fifth AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF), a major event set to bring hundreds of regional stakeholders and investors together in the coming years.
“Saint Kitts and Nevis is ready to serve as a bridge connecting African enterprise, Caribbean opportunity, British expertise and global capital,” Dr. Drew told attendees of the invitation-only event, which drew investors, business leaders and policymakers from more than 40 countries.
In a call to action for global stakeholders, the prime minister extended an open invitation for mission-aligned investors to partner with the federation across seven high-priority sectors: renewable energy, healthcare, sustainable agriculture, digital technology, education, ecotourism and the creative economy. These partnerships are structured to advance the core goals of the Sustainable Island State Agenda, a comprehensive national transformation plan that extends far beyond environmental action to center water security, just energy transition, food sovereignty, resilient infrastructure, circular economy development and inclusive social progress.
Dr. Drew emphasized that the strategy is designed to deliver dual value: lifting quality of life and expanding economic opportunity for all citizens of Saint Kitts and Nevis, while creating a transparent, welcoming regulatory environment for responsible international investment. “We welcome investors who share this vision. We seek investment that creates jobs, transfers knowledge, strengthens local businesses, respects our environment and leaves strong institutions behind,” he added.
Beyond attracting private capital, Dr. Drew used his keynote to call for deeper institutional collaboration between three blocs: the African continent, the Caribbean region, and the United Kingdom. He encouraged cross-sector partnerships that combine global capital with cutting-edge technology, educational exchange, innovative practice and long-term local capacity building, rather than short-term extractive investment models. He closed by reaffirming Saint Kitts and Nevis’ long-term commitment to acting as a trusted intermediary, advancing a modern, mutually beneficial relationship between Africa and the Caribbean rooted in shared economic growth, knowledge exchange and equitable sustainable development that benefits current and future generations across all regions.