Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, has returned from a high-level summit in Grenada, where he represented Bermuda at the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum 2025, an event focused on deepening economic and labour connections between Africa and the Caribbean.

Held last week in St George’s, the forum gathered heads of government, ministers and private sector leaders under the theme “Resilience and Transformation: Enhancing Africa-Caribbean Economic co-operation in an Era of Global Uncertainty”.

“This forum was an important platform for strengthening ties between Africa and the Caribbean and aligning on a vision for shared prosperity through economic co-operation,” said Mr Hayward. “I look forward to continued collaboration with our Caribbean and African partners, especially in labour development, regulatory alignment and inclusive growth.”

A key highlight was Afreximbank’s announcement of increased funding for the region, from $2.5 billion to $3 billion to support trade and infrastructure. Also in focus: a proposed regional payment system to lower transaction costs and ease cross-border trade in local currencies.

Mr Hayward held bilateral talks with Grenada’s Minister of Legal Affairs, Claudette Joseph, to exchange ideas on immigration policy, labour safety and workforce development. He welcomed Grenada’s partnership with the International Labour Organisation on its Decent Work Country Programme and expressed interest in applying similar frameworks to Bermuda’s own labour legislation.

“Peer collaboration and shared experiences are critical in shaping sustainable and people-centred labour policies,” the Minister added.

Despite current Africa-Caribbean trade representing less than 3 per cent of exports, leaders at the forum emphasised the urgent need and opportunity for deeper regional ties in the face of growing global uncertainty.