St. Kitts and Nevis PM calls for visa-free travel between Africa and Caribbean

Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, joined several African and Caribbean leaders for a Presidential Panel on the “New World Order as an Opportunity for Strengthening Africa-Caribbean Trade, Investment, and Cultural Relations,” held on July 28, 2025, at the Radisson Conference Centre in Grenada.

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The high-level panel was part of the fourth AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025), and featured leaders such as Prime Ministers Mia Mottley (Barbados), Philip J. Pierre (Saint Lucia), Gaston Browne (Antigua and Barbuda), Roosevelt Skerritt (Dominica), and President Mohamed Irfaan Ali (Guyana). Rwanda’s Minister of Trade & Industry, Prudence Sebahizi, represented President Paul Kagame. CNN anchor Zain Asher moderated, and Dr. George Elombi, incoming Afreximbank President, delivered opening remarks.

During the session, Prime Minister Drew made a pointed call for the removal of visa restrictions between Africa and the Caribbean, linking the issue directly to lost business opportunities.

“Two investors were supposed to be here today to sign an agreement with us—one couldn’t attend because he needs a visa. That is directly already affecting how we do business,” he said.

He added that while Saint Kitts and Nevis offers visa-free access to several African countries, including Nigeria, the reciprocity is lacking. “We have been welcoming Nigerian medical and diving students for years, yet Kittitians and Nevisians still need a visa to travel to Nigeria,” Drew noted, adding that discussions with Nigerian officials are ongoing.

The panel underscored a shared vision to reshape Africa-Caribbean relations through increased mobility, reciprocal trade, and deeper cultural ties.

ACTIF2025, themed “Resilience and Transformation: Enhancing Africa-Caribbean Economic Cooperation in an Era of Global Uncertainty,” continues to promote meaningful partnerships between the two regions.