CaribPR Wire

CARIBPR WIRE, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, July 9, 2025: Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, is being recognised as one of the most forward-looking leaders working to deepen economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties between Africa and the Caribbean. His recent engagements reflect a serious commitment to long-term cooperation between the two regions.

Aisha Maina and Aquarian Consult in St Kitts and Nevis.

“Today, the Caribbean is no longer a distant observer to Africa’s renaissance. We have become an active partner as the sixth region of the African Union,” said Dr. Drew during a visit to Abuja, Nigeria, last month.. That statement has since resonated across capitals on both sides of the Atlantic.

That momentum is exemplified by Dr. Drew’s instrumental role in a landmark initiative spearheaded by Nigerian business leader and economic strategist Aisha Maina, Managing Director of Aquarian Consult.

In March 2025, Dr. Drew travelled to Abuja at Maina’s invitation to attend the Afri-Caribbean Investment Summit (AACIS 25), a bold private-sector-led convening aimed at creating lasting Afro-Caribbean economic frameworks.

“His Excellency, Honourable Terrance Drew, took the chance, planted the seed, and boarded the flight after a series of strategic conversations with a Nigerian woman who said, ‘Come to Nigeria,’ and he did,” said Aisha Maina. “He didn’t come alone. He came with his team and his full commitment.”

Maina also acknowledged Honourable Samal Duggins, Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, for his role in reinforcing the partnership. “There cannot be a great leader without a great team. Honourable Duggins has stood out for his belief in the vision, his clear understanding of our goals, and his deep respect for the mission.”

Building on the momentum of the Abuja summit, Aisha Maina personally funded and led a 120-person Nigerian delegation to St. Kitts and Nevis in June 2025. This was the largest African delegation ever to visit the island. Arriving via a chartered Air Peace flight, the group included business leaders, creatives, policymakers, cultural advocates, and youth voices. Their objective was clear: to create new pathways in trade, tourism, investment, education, and cultural connection.
Dr. Drew and his cabinet played a central role in hosting and facilitating the week-long exchange, which included bilateral forums, cultural showcases, and youth engagement sessions, setting a new benchmark for South-South collaboration.

“Prime Minister Drew’s leadership reflects a clear understanding that this is not just about reconnection but about redefinition,” said Maina. “It is about how we co-create value and open new frontiers across sectors for people on both sides.”

Looking ahead, Aquarian Consult and its partners are working on several follow-up initiatives, including:

• The launch of an Afri-Caribbean Youth Fellowship Programme
• A series of Diaspora Policy Labs for shared policymaking and learning
• A second summit to be hosted in the Caribbean in 2026
• Broader platforms for trade, education, and creative industry exchange

This partnership is being built through purposeful action and shared values. The foundations are strong because the people leading it, including Prime Minister Drew and Aisha Maina, are not simply visiting each other’s countries. They are making long-term investments in trust, cooperation, and mutual respect.

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www.aquarianconsult.com

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and Toronto Centre lead workshop for supervisors and regulators of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union to help identify climate and other environmental risks to financial institutions, economies, and consumers

CaribPR Wire, BASSETERRE, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dec. 02, 2019: At the request of, and in partnership with, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Toronto Centre is holding its first five-day cross-cutting climate risk workshop. The workshop is aimed at helping financial sector supervisors and regulators identify the risks that climate change and other environmental factors pose to financial institutions, economies, consumers and vulnerable groups. Participants will learn how to develop action plans to deal with climate change and other environmental risks, and how to identify and communicate effectively with key stakeholders to achieve results.

The IMF’s Global Financial Stability Report, 2019 prominently highlights climate risk as a risk to financial stability. In addition to examining the nature of these risks and their potential effects, the program identifies steps that supervisors and financial institutions can take to deal with these risks. Product design, investment, lending, and strengthening risk management and stress testing are areas that supervisors and financial institutions can explore. The workshop additionally highlights steps that could be taken to manage risks to consumers, such as improving financial literacy and inclusion.

Timothy N.J. Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) said: “As the custodians of the payment system, our Central Bank is advocating for and facilitating disaster and climate resilience strategies inclusive of investment in physical and digital infrastructure, early warning systems, and fiscal resilience. ECCB is pleased to host this inaugural workshop on coping with climate change and other environmental risks and key actions that can be taken by supervisors and those they supervise to deal with these risks. Toronto Centre’s capacity building efforts are essential as financial sector supervisors and regulators in our region tackle these risks.”

Babak Abbaszadeh, CEO and President, Toronto Centre said: “Climate risk is an emerging risk for financial policy makers, standard setters, and supervisors. Toronto Centre applauds the ECCB’s initiative and leadership to be an early mover in building their capacity to deal with climate risk.”

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www.eccb-centralbank.org/

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) was established in October 1983. It is the monetary authority for a group of eight small country economies namely – Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Agreement establishing the ECCB as the monetary authority for the eight ECCB participating governments was signed on 5 July 1983 in Trinidad and Tobago. The ECCB was officially commissioned on 1 October 1983, replacing the Eastern Caribbean Currency Authority (ECCA) which was established in March 1965.

The primary objective of the ECCB is to maintain the stability of the Eastern Caribbean Currency and the integrity of the banking system.

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www.torontocentre.org

Established in 1998, Toronto Centre for Global Leadership in Financial Supervision (Toronto Centre) is an independent not-for-profit organization that promotes financial stability and access to financial services globally. Our mission is to provide high quality capacity building programs for financial supervisors and regulators, primarily in emerging markets and developing countries. We believe that for countries to thrive, their financial systems must be stable and inclusive. Our mission supports sustainable growth and job creation and helps to reduce poverty by helping to build these economic foundations. In turn, stable, sustainable economic growth is a vital enabler of infrastructure investments, strengthening international trade and reducing poverty as confirmed by the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, Financing for Development. Our mission is aligned with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy. Since our inception, we have trained more than 12,000 supervisors and regulators from over 190 jurisdictions. Toronto Centre is supported by Global Affairs Canada, the International Monetary Fund, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Comic Relief, Jersey Overseas Aid, and other valuable international partners.