national news

CHARLESTOWN NEVIS : The Honourable Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance, Trade, Tourism, and Foreign Investment in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), has expressed his immense satisfaction in addressing the inaugural Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit (ACIS 25) in Abuja, Nigeria.

“I feel privileged to join the Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew in a national delegation to Abuja, Nigeria, to engage with government and private sector individuals in Nigeria’s capital,” said Premier Brantley.

“This trip was facilitated by the Federal Government in partnership with Aquarian Consult. The inaugural Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit provides an opportunity to focus on economic and investment opportunities in St. Kitts and Nevis and Nigeria. More than that, it allows St. Kitts and Nevis to reconnect with Mother Africa at the government, business, and people-to-people level.”

The first-ever Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit (ACIS 25), running from March 25 to 28, convenes policymakers, investors, and business leaders to strengthen economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean. The summit is a significant step in deepening engagement between the two regions, with a focus on sustainability, economic diversification, and collaboration for shared prosperity.

During his remarks, Premier Brantley underscored the importance of South-South cooperation, emphasizing the critical role of sustainable energy in economic development.

“I took great pride in updating the conference about the progress on geothermal energy development in St. Kitts and Nevis. It is pellucid that the time for greater South-South cooperation is now. This engagement in Abuja provides the ideal platform to reconstruct the Middle Passage- not as a journey of misery but as a bridge of joint prosperity for global Africa, connecting the Motherland to those of Africa in the Diaspora.”

Prime Minister Drew also addressed the summit, highlighting the urgent need to tackle climate change and its severe impact on both Africa and the Caribbean. He presented Nevis’ geothermal energy project as a sustainable model aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

The important event, organized by Aquarian Consult in collaboration with the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis, carries the theme ‘Bridging Continents: Africa and the Caribbean, A Partnership for Prosperity.’ ACIS 25 marks a crucial step toward establishing a structured framework for Afro-Caribbean collaboration, aimed at enhancing trade, innovation, and sustainable development.