Addis ababa: The 2nd African Union-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Summit began Sunday morning in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, co-chaired by the Angolan Head of State and Chair of the African Union, Joo Louren§o. As Chair of the African Union, Joo Louren§o will be speaking at the opening of the event, which is being held under the theme “Transcontinental Partnership in the Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”

According to Angola Press News Agency, the meeting, which is being held at the headquarters of the African Union, aims to strengthen ties of political, economic, and cultural cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean region, consolidating consultation on global issues of common interest. The initiative aligns with the principles of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the AU and CARICOM, prioritizing the strengthening of political and economic engagement between the two regions.

The agenda includes the President of the Republic, the President of CARICOM, the organization's Secretary-General Carla Barnett, the Chair of the African Union Commission Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, and the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali, attending the opening session. The summit program features plenary sessions and a general debate on topics related to economic integration, trade and investment, food security, climate change, and engagement in multilateral forums, with a focus on the United Nations.

The event will also include the presidents of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, along with leaders from the African Development Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, and Afreximbank. Representatives from the United Nations system, the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent, civil society, and the African diaspora will also be present.

The Summit is expected to reaffirm the shared commitment to defending the interests of African and Afro-descendant peoples, who constitute the demographic majority of the Caribbean region, and to promote strong cooperation in strategic sectors for sustainable development. Created in 1973, CARICOM comprises 20 Caribbean states, with the mission of supporting the economic, social, and cultural development of the region.

The African Union, founded in 2002 to replace the Organization of African Unity (OAU), brings together 55 member states and aims to promote unity, peace, human rights, and socioeconomic development in Africa, affirming a unified voice for the continent at the international level. This Summit coincides with the celebration of AU-CARICOM Day, established in 2021, a symbol of the strengthening of historical and cultural relations between the two regional blocs.