Africa Union-CARICOM Trade

CPSO Rallies CARICOM and African Businesses Around US$322M Agribusiness Trade Opportunity

By Afiya RayAfrica Union-CARICOM Trade, news, Press Release, pressreleaseNo Comments

A quantified US$322 million agribusiness trade opportunity between CARICOM and the Africa Union markets is now driving the call for private sector firms on both sides of the Atlantic to move from dialogue to concrete action, in the sector.

Dr. Patrick Antoine, Chief Executive Officer and Technical Director of the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO), issued the call on Friday, January 30^th, 2026, during the third session of the four-part AfriCaribbean Private Sector Webinar Series hosted by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the CPSO, the Africa Business Council and Afreximbank. In his remarks, Dr. Antoine linked the US$322 million agribusiness opportunity directly to CARICOM’s priority focus on strengthening regional food production while strategically reshaping the Region’s trade relationships.

Insisting that the time had come to move from discussion to execution, Dr. Antoine affirmed that,

“Our (the CPSO) research, supported by our Africa Business Council and Afreximbank partners, has quantitatively established agritrade opportunities around US$322 million based on historical trade patterns and competitiveness analysis.”

He noted that this estimate, drawn from bilateral trade patterns between 2000 and 2025, provides a practical foundation for expanding agribusiness trade at a time when affordability and food security remain critical concerns for CARICOM Member States, many of which are net food importers.

Referring to CARICOM’s 25% by 2025 plus 5 agenda, Dr. Antoine explained that the CPSO had been mandated by Heads of Government to identify concrete product opportunities and the support mechanisms required to realize them.

“For us in the Caribbean, this issue of food and agriculture has been taken to the level of the highest priority,” he stated. “These actions help us to identify reciprocal opportunities, grow trade, and reduce extra-regional dependence.”

Beyond commodity trade, Dr. Antoine noted that there was significant potential for the transfer of intellectual property, know-how, brands, technologies, and management systems between Africa Union and CARICOM firms.

“While bulk commodities may not move easily between our regions, the intellectual property, know-how, brands, and management systems certainly can. We think those are exciting prospects for collaboration.”

Such practical business engagement, he added, could lay the groundwork for more formal trade frameworks in the future.

He also identified four Africa Union markets in South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, as presenting significant, immediate possibilities for sustainable South-South business partnerships.

Dr. Antoine further emphasized that beyond private sector partnerships and supportive policy frameworks, technical cooperation with development agencies also plays an important role in unlocking these opportunities as he cited the work of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in advancing the cassava industry through applications in beverages, milling, artisanal products, and technologies emerging from Brazil. Growing African interest in Brazil’s cassava technology ecosystem, he noted, ‘provides an example of how third-country expertise can support Africa-Caribbean collaboration and strengthen production capacity and value addition.’

The CPSO, with the support of CARICOM partners and development partner institutions, as well as private sector entities, will continue advancing the private-sector investments needed to realise these opportunities and strengthen South–South economic cooperation.

February 4, 2026

Former Miss Universe calls for AfriCaribbean Collaboration to Capture Multi-Billion Dollar Skincare Market Opportunity

By Afiya RayAfrica Union-CARICOM Trade, Beauty, CARICOM, Fashion, Press Release, pressrelease, Skincare, TradeNo Comments

Former Miss Universe and Caribbean entrepreneur Ms. Wendy Fitzwilliam has identified a major economic opportunity for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Africa Union to collaborate in building globally competitive fashion, beauty, and skincare industries for the world’s largely underserved, melanated population.

Speaking at the second installment of the AfriCaribbean Private Sector Webinar Series on January 27, 2026, Ms. Fitzwilliam emphasized that beauty and fashion must no longer be viewed as merely lifestyle industries but as strategic economic sectors capable of driving entrepreneurship, export growth, and inclusive development across both regions.

The former Miss Universe noted that the global skincare market is already valued at US$160 billion and projected to reach US$230 billion by 2032, while the wider beauty and fashion industries are worth over US$2 trillion.

Identifying access to ethical, natural raw materials such as cocoa, moringa, sea salt, ginger, and neem among other ingredients as a key advantage for both regions, she challenged policymakers, private sector leaders, and development partners to begin building the trade, logistics and payment systems that allow these inputs to move efficiently between Africa Union and CARICOM producers and onward to global markets.

“The opportunity is not only in what we produce, but in how quickly and reliably we can connect producers, processors, formulators, brands, and consumers across our regions,” she said.

The heart of Ms. Fitzwilliam’s message was framed by a simple but powerful insight: The majority of the global population is melanated, yet very few global skincare lines are specifically designed for their needs.

Ms. Fitzwilliam emphasized that the imbalance in the market represents a significant missed opportunity. Against this scale of demand, she contended that Africa and the Caribbean are uniquely positioned to capture a meaningful share of the market by building integrated value chains for products designed specifically for melanated skin. She acknowledged, however, that persistent challenges in trade facilitation, distribution channels, interoperable payment systems, and particularly the time it takes for goods to move between both regions remain key barriers. These are not insurmountable issues, she noted; once addressed, both regions could unlock substantial economic gains.

Calling for deeper collaboration between operators across Africa and CARICOM, Ms. Fitzwilliam expressed confidence that globally competitive brands could be built on authenticity, quality storytelling, and premium positioning rooted in biodiversity, culture, and traditional knowledge.

“The big global companies are already searching for the next breakthrough for melanated skin. We should build it for ourselves, first,” she encouraged. “This is not a small niche. This is a high-value, targeted global market. And we are uniquely positioned to lead it.”

The AfriCaribbean Private Sector Webinar Series are hosted by the International Trade Center in partnership with the Afreximbank, the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) and the African Business Council. The third instalment, Harvesting Opportunities: Building Resilient AgriTrade across Africa and the Caribbean, is scheduled for January 30, 2026.

January 28, 2026

Africa Union Exports to CARICOM Could Surpass US$1 Billion

By Afiya RayAfrica Union-CARICOM Trade, CARICOM, news, Press Release, pressreleaseNo Comments

Bridgetown, Barbados — Exports from the Africa Union to CARICOM could cross the US$1 billion mark, according to a CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO) Study unveiled this week, signalling a major opportunity to rewire CARICOM import supply chains.

Honourable E.P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda, highlighted the findings of the CPSO Study, “Africa Union-CARICOM Trade in Goods: Scope and Potential”, at the opening of the AfriCaribbean Private Sector Webinar Series, “Unlocking AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment: Opportunities, Ecosystems and Private Sector Leadership” on Tuesday, 20^th January, 2026.

The webinar is the first in a four-part series designed to unlock concrete trade, investment, and business-to-business opportunities between the Africa Union and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Jointly organized by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the CARICOM Private Sector Organization (CPSO), and the Africa Business Council (AfBC), the virtual forum brought together Ministers, development institutions and over 200 business leaders and private sector firms from across Africa and the Caribbean, to explore pathways for expanding commercial ties between the two regions.

In delivering the keynote address, Minister Greene emphasized that a shifting global trade environment has made stronger Africa Union-CARICOM economic relations an urgent necessity. He pointed out that rising protectionism, geopolitical uncertainty, and supply-chain disruptions are placing increasing pressure on CARICOM economies, where micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) account for the vast majority of businesses.

The Minister also emphasised that strengthening Africa-CARICOM commercial ties is a strategic imperative, noting that successive Africa-CARICOM Summits and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) have established an important political foundation. Minister Greene stressed, however, that the next phase must be driven by business.

“Political leadership establishes the framework, but it is businesses that drive innovation, generate trade volumes, mobilize investment, and create employment,” Minister Greene said. “If AfriCaribbean integration is to succeed in practical terms, it must now be carried forward by the private sector.”

Also citing the results of research conducted by the CARICOM Private Sector Organization, Minister Greene highlighted data showing that the Africa Union has the capacity to supply a wide range of goods competitively. The analysis indicates that deeper sourcing from the Africa Union could strengthen supply-chain resilience and reduce the Region’s vulnerability to external policy shocks.

Minister Greene also acknowledged persistent constraints to expanding trade, including limited transport connectivity, high logistics costs, and fragmented payment systems. He issued the call for innovative approaches to financing, shipping and digital payments to unlock the full potential of the partnership.

While Minister Greene framed Africa-CARICOM engagement as a strategic imperative, CPSO Chief Executive Officer and Technical Director Dr. Patrick Antoine grounded the discussion in market data and commercial execution.

Dr. Antoine presented findings from the recent CPSO Study, which identified up to USD 1.6 billion in potential competitive opportunities for Africa Union exports to CARICOM. The analysis also demonstrated that at least 13 Africa Union countries are each capable of supplying more than USD 58 million in CSME non-mineral fuel imports at prices typically averaging 60% of current benchmarks. Importantly, across the 579 product lines identified as competitively priced, the Study found that for most products there are typically 4 Africa Union countries from which CARICOM can source imports at competitive prices, underscoring both the depth and diversity of available supply options.

Dr. Antoine also reinforced the importance of proactive private sector engagement, warning that shifting global policies in major markets require CARICOM firms to seek new commercial pathways and diversify trade relationships.

“At moments like these, the role of the private sector becomes even more vital,” Dr. Antoine stated. “We must be prepared to respond with agility and seize opportunities wherever they emerge.”

Beyond the data, Dr. Antoine issued a call to action to CARICOM businesses, declaring, “We in the CARICOM Private Sector have no option but to explore and execute on opportunities to navigate this ‘collective turbulence’. We in the CARICOM Private Sector choose not to whither; we choose not to retreat. Instead, we choose to engage, and to keep on engaging. We choose to relentlessly confront the persistent challenges: challenges of ‘affordability’, trade concentration, and surmounting the inefficiencies of scale and size, with cooperation, integration and a laser sharp focus on ‘doing business’.”

Mr. Anthony Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Goddard Enterprises Limited and a member of the CPSO Executive Committee, shared practical lessons from his company’s direct engagement with Africa Union markets. While acknowledging challenges, Mr. Ali indicated that substantial opportunities existed for local production partnerships in order to establish CARICOM brands in Africa, and Africa brands in CARICOM.

In concluding his remarks, Mr. Ali also emphasized that successful entry into the markets in the Africa Union requires flexible models such as local production partnerships, licensing arrangements, and stronger institutional support to address financing and logistics gaps.

Also speaking at the event were Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre; Okechukwu Ihejirika, Chief Operating Officer of Afreximbank’s Caribbean Office; and Dr. Amany Asfour, President of the Africa Business Council. Each underscored the need for stronger business-to-business linkages and data-driven collaboration.

The webinar series will continue over the coming weeks with focused sessions on agribusiness, fashion and creative industries, cosmetics and wellness, and medical and health technologies.

January 21, 2026