Destined for Prosperity: Global Africa is taking its future into its own hands
The 31st Afreximbank Annual Meetings - 2024
“There is no more powerful tool that can drive excellence than that of purpose,” revealed Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa, as she and a host of African visionaries came together under a shared commitment to rewrite the African narrative at a recent event.
Owning a shared destiny
As Africa continues to dominate the list of the world’s fastest-growing economies, the continent is challenging outdated perceptions of it as a tradable commodity and shifting them towards its true value as a leading economic partner—not one in the confines of geographical borders but in the context of a Global Africa.
This seismic shift was accelerated by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) at its 31st Annual Meetings (AAM) and the 3rd AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) in June 2024, when leaders from across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Diaspora united in the Bahamas for the very first time.
“We have to understand that, as people of color, when we come together with progressive ideas and courage, we can live our destiny,” noted actor, entrepreneur, and AAM speaker Viola Davis. Hence why this year’s event—themed ‘Owning Our Destiny: Economic Prosperity on the Platform of Global Africa’—set the stage for Africans around the world to take their growth and prosperity into their own hands.
Building economic prosperity
In the 31 years since its inception, Afreximbank has been on a mission to empower Africans, everywhere, with the financial knowledge and support they need to prosper. From the African Trade Exchange (ATEX) to the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPPS), there now exists a robust architecture which means Africa no longer has to rely on the global north to advance its economic development.
“Once we learn our power as a community, then we will have a stake at the table.”
Wyclef Jean Musician and philanthropist
And through its Diaspora Strategy, Afreximbank is working to bring global Africans together to present the international trade ecosystem with an African economy worth approximately $2 trillion. An undeniably strong force to forge business connections with, Global Africa stands to revolutionize the economic trajectory of its people in a way that nobody thought possible.
“Once we learn our power as a community, then we will have a stake at the table,” said musician and philanthropist Wyclef Jean at the recent AAM. This knowledge sharing has already begun—especially between Africa and the Caribbean—with the establishment of the Afreximbank office in Barbados and the annual success of ACTIF. “It is an exciting time because we are going to invest in our joint futures,” Jean continued.
Raising a platform for Global Africa
The AAM, alongside Afreximbank’s calendar of events, has long served as a vehicle to drive trade and investments across Africa and beyond. However, as economies change and ambitions grow, it is finding increasing value as a platform for Global Africa to thrive.
“There is a hugely positive outlook for many African and Caribbean countries, cementing closer links between the two regions to accelerate growth and prosperity.”
Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah President of Afreximbank
“The sun never sets in Global Africa,” explained President of Afreximbank Professor Benedict Okey Oramah. “It has people all over the world; people of different colors, races, tongues, and cultures.” It is for this reason that the opportunities for pan-African trade are limitless, and the vision for shared prosperity is becoming a lived reality.
As bridges continue to be built between the continent and the Diaspora, Afreximbank will secure its position as the Global Africa bank, providing solutions to businesses as they move forward in their investment, traffic, and trade strategies.
Africa's future is bright. “We have the youngest population in the world and great creatives and storytellers,” noted actor and entrepreneur Boris Kodjoe. More connected to their global African community than ever before, they have the support they need to carry the legacy of prosperity. “All we have to do is follow the music.”
