Faith Nyasuguta
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley delivered a stirring appeal at the 2025 African Union Summit, urging African and Caribbean leaders to abolish visa requirements between their regions. In a landmark moment, she framed the call as a key pillar in a renewed “Atlantic Destiny”, one that binds Africa and the Caribbean in shared history, culture, and economic aspiration .
Speaking in Addis Ababa, Mottley reminded the assembly of the legacy of Ethiopia’s decisive victory at the Battle of Adwa in 1896, a day when Africa’s future was reclaimed and inspiration reached across the Atlantic. “The fact that our people must beg for transit visas to move across the world is unacceptable,” she declared, noting that current travel routes force people to “go north” even if they want to move east or west .
Mottley, who also leads CARICOM, highlighted that colonialism and the slave trade severed deep links between Africa and the Caribbean, but now it is time to reclaim those bonds through real action. Her proposals extend beyond rhetoric: Barbados and CARICOM will host CARIFESTA in Bridgetown this August, followed by the first in person CARICOM-AU Summit in Addis Ababa in September, to showcase shared culture and strengthen ties.
This is not an isolated call. CARICOM, under Mottley’s leadership, is also advancing internal free-movement protocols. At its February summit in Bridgetown, she spearheaded approval for “enhanced cooperation” in freedom of movement, aiming for select member states to allow education, health, and residency rights by June, provided treaty amendments are ratified .
Grenada, for instance, is pursuing bilateral visa waivers with Ghana, Egypt, Benin, and Morocco, signaling growing momentum in the Caribbean for travel liberalization with Africa. Closer to home, Barbados is constructing the first Afreximbank African Trade Centre outside Africa, a commercial hub that includes offices, hotel space, and marketplaces, anchoring trade and recovery on both sides of the ocean. Mottley led the groundbreaking ceremony in March, highlighting the symbolism and practical need of such infrastructure.
Momentum is also building within Africa. Kenya, for example, announced in January 2025 that it had dropped ETA pre-authorisations for all African countries (except Somalia and Libya), enabling stays of up to two months visa-free, a significant step toward intra-African liberalization. Similar moves by Ghana and Rwanda demonstrate a trend across the continent toward greater mobility.
Across both regions, civil society and the diaspora applaud the push. A Reddit post noted that the emerging Afro-Caribbean market, projected to reach 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of US $3.5 trillion, is “amazing news”. One commenter remarked, “This is amazing news we need to connect with each other: America isn’t the end all be all for trade or anything for that matter.”
Yet, challenges loom. Coordinating visa policy across sovereign nations, balancing migration concerns with economic aspirations, and ratifying key protocols will test political will on both continents. Still, Mottley’s speech at the AU Summit, and CARICOM’s dual push for internal and intercontinental free movement, signal more than symbolic unity, they signal a transformative trajectory.
As Mottley eloquently stated: “We must determine whether the history of separation will be our future or whether the spirit of Adwa can inspire us to confront the challenges of a new world.” For many in Africa and the Caribbean, the visa-free movement she envisions could mark a turning point- one where shared history becomes shared destiny.
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