Trading with Africa: Are We Building Bridges or Just Chasing the Banks?

When CARICOM leaders boast about “strengthening ties with Africa,” the words sound powerful. There’s talk of shared history, cultural reconnection, and trade corridors that could finally unite two regions separated by colonialism. But let’s be honest with ourselves: are we really talking about trade, or are we simply chasing the money flowing out of African banks?

This question matters because it defines whether Africa is a true partner or just another investor to be added to the Caribbean’s list—alongside the U.S., Europe, and yes, China.

The China Comparison: A Mirror We Don’t Like Looking Into

Let’s not sugarcoat it: China is not in Africa for the sake of “trade.” China is there for leverage. They build roads, yes. They set up railways, yes. But the bulk of this so-called “trade” is debt-driven. Africa exports raw materials and imports finished goods, while China secures repayment guarantees and access to resources. That’s not partnership—it’s a one-sided transaction dressed up as diplomacy.

Now ask yourself: when we in the Caribbean speak of Africa, are we doing any better? Or are we quietly replicating the same mindset—looking not for true commerce but for financial backstops? Are we serious about shipping Bahamian rum, Barbadian tech services, or Jamaican cultural exports to Lagos or Nairobi? Or are we hoping African credit institutions will underwrite our development projects?

CARICOM’s Blind Spot

CARICOM must decide whether Africa is a partner or just another bank. Right now, the narrative tilts dangerously toward the latter. Conferences produce plenty of memorandums of understanding, but where are the ships moving products across the Atlantic? Where are the shared logistics hubs, digital payment bridges, or joint agricultural ventures?

The Caribbean cannot keep approaching Africa as a checkbook. If that’s the vision, then Africa is simply being slotted into the same role as every other “development partner” we’ve leaned on for decades. That’s not trade. That’s dependency.

What True Trade Would Look Like

Here’s what real trade between Africa and the Caribbean could look like:

Direct Shipping Routes: Cutting out Europe and the U.S. as middlemen. Tech Exchange: African fintech reshaping Caribbean financial access, while Caribbean creative industries explode in African markets. Agriculture & Food Security: Trading niche crops, techniques, and production that make both regions stronger. Tourism & Cultural Heritage: Linking destinations across the Atlantic to create a unified heritage experience for global travelers.

That’s trade. That’s mutual prosperity. That’s partnership.

Stop Playing Small

If CARICOM continues to frame Africa primarily as a financial partner, we’re playing small. We’re repeating the same colonial-era dynamics we claim to despise—seeing Africa not for what it produces, innovates, and dreams, but for the capital it holds.

Let me be clear: Africa does not need another China, and the Caribbean does not need another cycle of dependency. If we are bold enough, Africa and the Caribbean could form one of the most dynamic South-South trading blocs in history. But to get there, we must shift our lens from “what can Africa fund” to “what can Africa and the Caribbean build—together.”

CARICOM has a choice to make. Do we treat Africa as just another investor, or do we stand up and forge genuine trade ties that create shared wealth?

If we’re honest, the answer today leans toward the first. But if we want a different future—one rooted in dignity, independence, and prosperity—we must push for the second. Otherwise, we’re not trading with Africa at all. We’re just cashing the cheques.