Growing Momentum for Global Africa Commission at Intra-African Trade Fair

A groundswell of support is building across the Caribbean and Africa for the establishment of a Global Africa Commission with advocates arguing that people of African descent worldwide need a unified platform to harness their collective power and identity on the global stage.

Speaking in a recent interview at the Intra-African Trade Fair in Algeria about the renewed push for the commission, Okechukwu Ihejirika, Chief Operating Officer of the Afreximbank Caribbean Office, made a case for why this initiative is crucial.

“If you look at the Indians, no matter where they are, they identify as Indians, even though they’re in Canada, they’re in the US, they are in the UK and so on. Same with the Chinese,” he observed.

“But for Africa, there’s no platform for us to harmonize our identity whether we like it or not. You know, like one of the previous singers, I think, Peter Tosh said, no matter where you are born, you are African. So we are Africans, and we need to create a platform where we can also foster conversations about things that bring us together, things that unite us. And, you know, in doing so, we can now form a common front that will give us a lever to be able to move things around in our favor when we come to global politics.”

This sentiment captures the essence of what proponents see as a historic opportunity to transform how Africans and people of African descent engage with the world.

The concept gained articulation at a Global Africa Diaspora Day event during Intra-African Trade Fair, where former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of the fair, delivered a stirring call for African unity that resonated across the diaspora.

“Africans abroad are no longer just consumers of culture. They are creators, innovators, and strong leaders,” declared Obasanjo.

But Obasanjo’s message carried both celebration and warning. “We must own our narrative and tell our stories. The good, the bad, and the ugly. That with commitment and with thought, that never again shall we suffer what collectively we have suffered in slavery, slave trade and colonization,” he stated.

The call for a Global Africa Commission gained significant momentum weeks ago when Professor Benedict O. Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), originally made the proposal at the opening of the two-day AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025) in July.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who was present for that meeting, supported the call for the creation of a commission that becomes fully responsible for delivering on the Africa-Caribbean and the broader Global Africa initiative.

PM Browne’s support builds on his longstanding advocacy for stronger Africa-Caribbean ties.

The 2025 Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) is a key event boosting trade in Africa that began on September 4 and ends today.

A few Caribbean countries are represented to include a journalist from Antigua.