PRIMARY MINISTER Kassim Majaliwa has said the Fourth Africa-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) should come up with answers to trade and investment challenges facing African and Caribbean countries.
He said these challenges should be discussed openly and clearly state all the obstacles that prevent trade between the countries.
The Prime Minister said this on July 28, 2025 while participating in the Heads of State and Government debate at the opening of the Fourth Africa-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF 2025) held at the Radisson Blu Conference Center in St. George’s, Grenada.
The Prime Minister is attending the forum on behalf of President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan.
“In addition to discussing these challenges, our countries should create a favorable environment to attract investment and provide cooperation to investors interested in investing in our countries. For us in Tanzania, Aliko Dangote is a living example, he has invested significantly in the construction of a cement factory”, he said
Other leaders who participated in the discussion were the Prime Minister of Dominica, Mr. Roosevelt Skerritt, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mr. Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston A. Browne, the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Terrance Drew, the Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Philip J. Pierre and the Minister of Trade and Industry of Rwanda, Prudence Sebahizi.
ACTIF was established in 2022 with the aim of promoting economic and cultural cooperation between African and Caribbean countries.
Over the past three years, the platform has facilitated the strengthening of cooperation between the public and private sectors, the signing of agreements and cooperation documents worth more than four billion US dollars; a move that has sparked the idea of establishing a formal trade zone between African and Caribbean countries.
Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Thomas Mitchell said they should formalize resources and strengthen economic platforms including the Africa-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum.
“This move will ensure that our youth realize that the only way for our countries to grow, depends on the economic decisions being made now on the importance of strengthening cooperation on economic and trade issues between Africa and the Diaspora.”
The President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of AFREXIMBANK, Prof. Benedict Oramah said the platform should have its own institutions that will have the capacity to accelerate development.
“Currently, we are working on establishing a Caribbean Bank which we believe will greatly help to facilitate trade and develop industries like AFREXIMBANK has done in Africa.”
The purpose of ACTIF is to strengthen historical and cultural ties between Africa and the Caribbean, create a friendly environment for trade and investment between the two sides as well as stimulate joint economic development.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of State, Office of the President, Labour, Economy and Investment of the Republic of Tanzania, Mr. Shariff Ali Sharriff and the Acting Ambassador of Tanzania to Cuba, the Caribbean, Central America and the countries of Venezuela and Guyana, Mr. Wilbroad Kayombo.
