NASSAU, Bahamas, June 13, 2024 — The 31st Annual General Meeting of the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), currently being held in Nassau, has attracted senior government officials, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, heads of development institutions, and non-governmental organisations, among others.
The three-day event, from June12 to 14, is being held in the Caribbean for the first time at the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center on West Bay Street, under the theme: “Owning Our Destiny: Economic Prosperity on the Platform of Global Africa.”
This year, the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2024) has been incorporated fully within the Afreximbank Annual Meetings.
Yesterday’s opening ceremony included a presidential plenary and high-level panel sessions. Seminars continued today, while tomorrow (June 14) will be dedicated to the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum and will be marked by colourful events to celebrate shared AfriCaribbean culture, as well as elevating the essence of the two regions shared socio-economic aspirations.
When the agreement was signed on April 13, 2024, to hold the 31st Annual General Meeting of Afreximbank in Nassau, Professor Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, said in a statement, “Afreximbank’s historic decision to hold the 31st Afreximbank Annual Meetings in The Bahamas will be the first time it has been held in the Caribbean. There is a hugely positive outlook for many African and CARICOM countries – as demonstrated by the IMF’s forecast that seven African countries and one CARICOM country will be in the top 10 fastest growing economies globally – so cementing closer links between the two regions is of clear mutual benefit to accelerate growth and prosperity,”
At the signing ceremony, which was live streamed to reach a global audience, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip E.Davis said, “Hosting both the AAM and ACTIF demonstrates the determination and commitment of The Bahamas to leverage on the shared history, identities, and cultures of AfriCaribbean nations to forge significantly greater trade, investment, and direct transport linkages. Doing so will stimulate economic growth and development, which will feed through to immensely beneficial societal impact. It is also vital that we enhance our global influence by speaking with a unified voice on matters such as securing global action to meaningfully address climate change.”
Just before 5pm on Tuesday, June 11, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner touched down at Jet Aviation bringing 241 delegates for the historic 31st Afreximbank Annual Meetings. On hand for the arrival was the Hon. Alfred Sears, Minister of Immigration and National Insurance, as well as other officials.
The Department of Immigration and Jet Aviation set up a welcome desk near the tarmac, to allow for a smooth process, and offered water and soft drinks.
Among delegates arriving on that flight were His Excellency Mahamadou Issoufou, former President, Republic of Niger and Leader of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia; Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson for the African Union Commission/United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, as well as international media, performers and musicians, and other conference participants.
Also among those attending the meeting are William Ruto, President of Kenya; Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. President of Mauritania; Nana Afro Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló. President of Guinea Bissau; Irfaan Ali President of Guyana; Chan Santokhi President of Suriname; Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of Algeria; and Faure Gnassingbé, President of Togo.
Prime Ministers attending the meeting include Mia Mottley of Barbados, Philip J. Pierre of St. Lucia, and Dickon Mitchell of Grenada. Former Prime Ministers P.J. Patterson of Jamaica and Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia are in attendance, as well as Former Presidents Macky Sall of Senegal, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria.
Prominent American movie star Viola Davis, who was appointed in September of 2023 by U.S. President Joe Biden as a member of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement that advises Washington on deepening ties with African communities, is also participating in the meetings.
In April of 2024, Ms. Davis and her husband, Julius Tennon, joining forces with best-selling author and publisher Lavaille Lavette to launch JVL Media, a new publishing house seeking to champion under-represented voices in the book world.
The Nassau Guardian published a collection of photos, including the ones featured in this article, with the following narrative:
“American actress Viola Davis is in The Bahamas for the Afreximbank Annual Meeting, where a signing ceremony took place. Davis, a JVL Media Co-Founder, signed a memorandum of intent with Afreximbank and Fund for Export Development to create an African Film Development Value Chain. Following the ceremony, she emphasised the power of storytelling in reshaping the African narrative. She said the prevailing perception of poverty and suffering is intentionally perpetuated to justify mistreatment by oppressors, and so it is important for Africans to take ownership of their narrative.
PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S SESSION TAKEN BY NASSAU GUARDIAN POTOGRAPHER TORRELL GLINTON
