Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, participated as a special guest at the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Summit in Georgetown, Guyana.
She engaged in bilateral and multilateral talks with Caribbean leaders, including Prime Ministers of St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.
Dr. Amery Browne of Trinidad and Tobago represented Prime Minister Keith Rowley. Botchwey addressed the CARICOM Council of Ministers and attended a reception with leaders from the region, emphasizing the desire to strengthen ties between Africa and the Caribbean.
Both sides aim to build on the success of Ghana’s “Year of Return” initiative and “Beyond the Return” policy, fostering increased tourism and investment.
Recognizing the historical connection between Africa and the diaspora, Madam Botchwey highlighted the potential for a direct air link to enhance travel and commerce.
“Those initiatives by President Akufo-Addo have really ignited interest in bringing the Caribbean countries and Ghana in particular, and Africa in general, closer together.
“They present an important opportunity to enlarge the market size of Africa and its diaspora and grow our economies, as well as bring together our people who have been separated by history and the ocean,” she said, adding that “a direct air link would boost travel and commerce significantly between us.”
She held additional meetings with foreign ministers from St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, and the director-general of the foreign ministry of the Bahamas.
As Ghana’s candidate for Commonwealth Secretary-General, Botchwey is poised to play a crucial role in fostering collaboration between the Caribbean and Africa.
The African Union has designated the Caribbean as the “sixth region” of Africa, signifying efforts to bridge political and economic gaps. The Commonwealth leaders are set to choose a new secretary-general in October, with Botchwey positioned as a key candidate for the role.