As global geopolitics continues to shift, the relationship between Africa and the Caribbean remains an important part of understanding the African diaspora and its place in international affairs. This was the focus of a public dialogue hosted by the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship (CAS), in collaboration with the High Commission of Jamaica to South Africa.
Titled Rebuilding Bridges with the Diaspora: Afro-Caribbean Cooperation in the Evolving Geopolitics, the dialogue brought together diplomats, academics, and students to examine how historical connections between Africa and the Caribbean can be strengthened to address current political, economic, and social challenges.
The panel featured Professor Adekeye Adebajo, Senior Research Fellow at CAS; H.E. Ambassador Joan Thomas Edwards, High Commissioner of Jamaica to South Africa; Dr Mariama Williams, Senior Strategic Advisor at the Global Afro-descendant Climate Justice Collaborative; H.E. Ambassador Inga Rhonda King; and Professor Carlos da Silva Jr., whose research focuses on African history, the transatlantic slave trade, and the African diaspora.
A central theme throughout the discussion was the need to recognise the Caribbean as more than an extension of other geopolitical powers while acknowledging its distinct identity and its historical and cultural links with Africa. The speakers reflected on the idea of a global African community and the ways in which relationships between Africa and the Caribbean could be strengthened through greater cooperation in areas such as transportation, tourism, trade, education, and cultural exchange. The discussion also placed the African diaspora at the centre of conversations about international cooperation. Historical links created through the transatlantic slave trade continue to shape relationships between Africa, the Caribbean, and the wider Americas.
Professor da Silva Jr. highlighted the historical connection between Africa and Brazil, including the significant number of Africans who were forcibly taken to Brazil during the transatlantic slave trade. The discussion demonstrated how these histories have contributed to the formation of African-descendant communities and cultures across the Atlantic.
Beyond history, the dialogue considered how these connections can inform present-day partnerships. Questions around the United Nations and international governance also featured prominently in the discussion. The speakers raised concerns about representation, legitimacy, and accountability within international institutions, particularly in relation to the structures that continue to shape global decision-making.
The question of who international power should answer to was linked to the broader need for greater participation in global institutions. The panellists emphasised that meaningful international cooperation requires broad participation and systems that are responsive to the communities they represent. The unfinished work of decolonisation was another significant aspect of the conversation. The speakers reflected on the continued effects of colonialism and the importance of addressing historical inequalities rather than treating them as issues confined to the past.
Discussions around reparations further explored what meaningful redress could look like. The conversation moved beyond monetary compensation to consider social, educational, and cultural dimensions of reparative justice. The panellists also raised questions about identifying victims of historical injustices and determining who should be included within reparations frameworks. For students, the dialogue provided an opportunity to engage directly with diplomats and scholars on issues extending beyond the classroom.
Questions from students focused on practical ways of strengthening Africa-Caribbean relations, including creating more opportunities for exchanges between African and Caribbean students. The possibility of students from Africa and countries such as Cuba gaining skills and experiences that could later contribute to their communities was also discussed.
The conversation further considered how discussions taking place in academic and diplomatic spaces can translate into tangible change. Questions were raised about how governments can be encouraged to take such conversations seriously and incorporate them into policy. The presence of diplomatic representatives from countries beyond Jamaica also reinforced the international nature of the discussion, with representatives including the ambassadors of Cuba, Turkey, and Singapore in attendance.
Ultimately, the dialogue highlighted that rebuilding bridges between Africa and the Caribbean requires more than acknowledging a shared history. It requires continued engagement, broader participation, and practical cooperation that can translate historical connections into contemporary partnerships.
For the University of Pretoria, hosting conversations of this nature provides students with exposure to international perspectives while creating a space where questions about Africa’s place in global affairs can be openly examined. As conversations around the African diaspora, reparations, decolonisation, and global governance continue, the dialogue demonstrated the importance of creating spaces where Africa and its diaspora can revisit their shared history while considering what stronger relationships could look like in the future.
The bridge between Africa and the Caribbean may have been shaped by centuries of history, but the discussion at UP highlighted that its future will depend on what both regions choose to build from those connections.
