From the heart of Montego Bay, a new era of global dialogue emerged as thought leaders from Africa and the Caribbean gathered for “From Shared Roots to a Shared Future: Africa and the Caribbean Unite.”
The three-part panel series, held during the 49th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, served as the flagship side event powered by Afreximbank, JN Bank, and curated by NTT Global Destinations.
The sessions brought together a vibrant mix of diplomats, cultural icons, tourism executives, and finance experts to chart actionable strategies for Afro-Caribbean partnership. Discussions focused on three core themes: “Financing Afro-Caribbean Trade,” “Culture as Currency,” and “Tourism as Economic Diplomacy.”
“Culture is more than exportable — it is investable,” said Bizzle Osikoya, Nigerian music executive and co-founder of The Plug, during the Creative Economy session. “This event showed we’re not just storytellers; we’re strategic partners in global commerce.”
Ambassador Janet Olisa, Nigeria’s Director of Regions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador to Jamaica, returned to the island in her current role to underscore Nigeria’s enduring diplomatic and economic focus on the Caribbean. She emphasized that the event is not a moment but a continuum, noting that Jamaica remains a valuable ally to Nigeria and that these partnerships will grow deeper through consistent institutional and private-sector engagement.
Other notable participants included Mr. Humphrey Oriakhi, Managing Director of PAC Capital (Nigeria); Ambassador Esmond Reid, Jamaica’s Ambassador to CARICOM; Bethia Idoko, a pan-African tourism strategist; Nancy Isime, Nollywood actor and global cultural ambassador; and Ayo Bankole Akintujoye, SME and trade expert.
The panels were commended for their unique blend of policy-level discourse and grassroots relevance, reflecting NTT Global Destinations’ mission to bridge people, policy, and platforms.
To ensure the conversation continues, NTT confirmed that event recordings, communiqués, and policy summaries would be shared with relevant ministries, private sector bodies, and regional blocs. These resources will help guide upcoming policy forums and investment discussions, particularly in the lead-up to the African Union–CARICOM meetings scheduled for September in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The milestone side event was hosted by NTT Global Destinations in partnership with Afreximbank, JN Bank, and the Motherland Reconnect Platform, a growing force in institutional cultural diplomacy.
