Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew has called for a new era of cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean, urging governments to remove barriers that restrict travel, trade and investment between the two regions.

Speaking at the Royal African Society’s 125th Anniversary Flagship Business Event at the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Drew said the longstanding historical and cultural ties between Africa and the Caribbean should now be strengthened through practical action.

He pointed to Saint Kitts and Nevis’ decision to grant visa-free access to citizens of every African country as an example of that commitment.

“We have done so because we cannot call ourselves family while maintaining unnecessary barriers between our people,” Drew said, as he called for greater reciprocal visa-free travel and the eventual creation of a structured Africa-Caribbean mobility arrangement.

The prime minister also advocated for stronger economic links, saying improved air and sea connections, more efficient customs systems and modern cross-border payment platforms are essential to expanding commerce between the two regions.

“An entrepreneur in Saint Kitts and Nevis should be able to trade with a customer in Africa without facing unnecessary financial and logistical barriers,” he said.

Drew added that closer collaboration between CARICOM and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could create new opportunities for businesses and investors while opening access to larger markets.

He said meaningful integration would require coordinated policies, modern infrastructure and stronger institutional cooperation, and urged governments, financial institutions and the private sector to work together to build a partnership that delivers lasting economic benefits for both regions.