The African Caribbean Sustainability & Investment Summit (ACSIS) concluded in London on 22 November 2024, bringing together a distinguished roster of stakeholders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs. Organised by HenleyCaribbean Sustainable Ventures, the summit has been lauded as a timely intervention in the quest to forge sustainable economic ties between Africa, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom.
Held under the theme Leveraging the African, Caribbean and UK Business Opportunities: Investing in a Sustainable Future, ACSIS provided a platform for deliberating on the shared economic challenges and opportunities faced by these regions. The two-day event, which featured discussions on trade, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, underscored the increasing importance of diaspora engagement in fostering meaningful collaboration.
Prominent voices at the summit included Baroness Verma of Leicester, Labour MP Chi Onwurah of Newcastle upon Tyne Central, and High Commissioners H.E. Dr Karen-Mae Hill of Antigua and Barbuda and H.E. Johnston Busingye of Rwanda. Their endorsements, alongside those of senior officials such as Hugh Walker, Head of the Africa Strategy Department at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and Opeyemi Abebe, Adviser and Head of Trade Competitiveness at the Commonwealth Secretariat, reinforced ACSIS’s role as a linchpin for cross-regional cooperation.
The opening session at the House of Lords struck a poignant tone, with Mr Walker declaring, “The time is now for African and Caribbean entrepreneurs to unite for greater efficiencies.” His sentiment was echoed by Labour MP Chi Onwurah, who spotlighted Nigeria’s participation as emblematic of the collaborative spirit needed to drive growth. H.E. Dr Karen-Mae Hill presented an eloquent case for capitalising on the Caribbean’s maritime assets, describing them as pivotal to advancing the region’s blue economy.
Equally compelling was the intervention by Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. Ajayi-Kadir highlighted the Caribbean’s burgeoning role as a strategic partner, pointing to its strengths in tourism and cultural industries. Adding a forward-looking perspective, H.E. Ambassador Colin Murdoch, Permanent Observer for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to the United Nations, identified digital and green technologies as the cornerstones of future trade relations between Africa and the Caribbean.
Chairman of ACSIS, David F. Roberts, expressed his gratitude for the summit’s robust turnout and engagement. “A seed has been sown for African and Caribbean diaspora entrepreneurs to collaborate and cooperate for their socio-economic and cultural enrichment, which, by extension, will benefit their home countries,” he remarked, underscoring the long-term vision of the initiative.
ACSIS builds on the momentum generated by the Guyana Diaspora Sustainability & Investment Conference (GDSIC), held in November 2023. Feedback from GDSIC participants catalysed the expansion of the summit’s focus to include Africa, thereby addressing the socio-economic and cultural gaps that hinder optimal trade and investment between Africa and the Caribbean at the diaspora level.
The summit’s success reflects not only the shared aspirations of the regions involved but also the urgency of fostering South-South cooperation. By creating a space for dialogue and innovation, ACSIS has set the stage for a new chapter in African-Caribbean relations, rooted in sustainable and inclusive growth.
