Africa: Ghanaian Delegation Push for Caribbean Airlines to Initiate Direct Flights To Africa at the Trans-Atlantic Symposium in Hilton Trinidad

The 21st Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Symposium, hosted at the Hilton Trinidad, saw officials of Caribbean Airlines Ltd (CAL) under the spotlight as they tackled pressing issues surrounding the absence of a direct air route connecting Caribbean nations to African counterparts. Amidst intense scrutiny, CAL representatives addressed concerns and deliberated the implications of this gap in connectivity.

According to caribbeannationalweekly.com, The concerns were raised by local businesses and the Ghanaian delegation led by Asante King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II .

Discussions about direct connections between Africa and the Caribbean have persisted for years, yet tangible progress remains elusive.

Highlighting this, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) held meetings in Ghana in 2017 and Guyana in 2018, emphasizing the importance of tourism and air links between the two regions. Such links would honor the shared heritage between Africa and its diaspora.

READ: Aviation: Guyana Government in talks with African Carrier, Ethiopian Airlines to commence flight operations to the country

Further amplifying the urgency, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, during her address at the inaugural AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) in 2022, accentuated the business opportunities that lay dormant between the Caribbean and Africa.

The Caribbean’s appeal as a tourist destination is thought to have potential for further expansion through direct connections to Africa.

Additionally, the establishment of an airbridge is seen as a means to enable those of African descent in the Caribbean to more readily embark on pilgrimages to their ancestral lands.

READ: Africa: Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett Urges Caribbean to sets eyes on Africa to further grow tourism

Presently, the commute between Africa and the Caribbean is cumbersome, a concern raised by African delegates at ACTIF 2022.

Operationalizing the AfriCari vision: Barbados leads the charge
Media reports have indicated that Barbados, under the guidance of Dr. Wallace Williams, is actively working on the AfriCari initiative. With his vast experience in aviation and bilateral relations, the first direct flight under this initiative is anticipated before the next ACTIF in Guyana.

Barbados’ commitment is further evidenced by its impending US$147 million investment in its international airport and the recent establishment of the African Export-Import Bank’s Caricom office in the country.

As Prime Minister Mottley remarked, the primary obstacle in forging these air links is the collective will of the regions.