Dominican journalist in Nigeria for Afreximbank’s 32nd Annual Meeting

Shermain Bique-Charles, a well-known Dominican journalist and freelance reporter for Dominicanewsonline, is among the thousands of journalists from 80 countries attending this year’s 32nd Annual Meeting of Afreximbank.

Bique-Charles is also managing director of Antigua.news.

Over 12,000 participants have gathered in Abuja, Nigeria, for this highly anticipated conference, which also includes leaders from CARICOM nations such as St Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, and Barbados.

“It’s always exciting to cover the discussions at Afreximbank’s conference. It’s unfortunate that there is limited representation from Caribbean leaders here in Abuja. This event is highly awaited each year,” Bique-Charles remarked.

She highlighted that the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has seen a tenfold growth in its total assets over the last decade, skyrocketing from $4 billion to $40 billion. “Our small islands should explore accessing some of those funds,” she added.

Ahead of a packed schedule, a welcome reception for journalists took place on Tuesday. The event, running from June 25 to 27, brings together influential leaders from around the world, including representatives from Africa and CARICOM.

This year’s meetings are themed “Building the Future on Decades of Resilience” and aim to foster trade, investment, and innovation throughout the continent.

The Annual Meetings are expected to provide substantial economic advantages in both the short and long term, with key goals including the mobilization of trade and investment, the advancement of policy frameworks, and the strengthening of South-South cooperation.

The discussions are set to pave the way for essential trade agreements, including Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and public-private partnerships, anticipating billions of dollars in funding for key sectors over the next 5-10 years.

Bringing together heads of state, ministers, trade leaders, policymakers, and representatives from the private sector, the meetings will tackle several priorities, such as implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), improving cross-border payment systems, and enhancing economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean through increased trade, tourism, and joint initiatives.