ACTIF2025 Guyana eyes stronger regional trade ties; 70 small businesses gear up for Grenada

Guyana is amping up efforts to strengthen its trade and investment linkages across the Caribbean and Africa, as the country prepares to send a powerful delegation of 70 small businesses to the upcoming AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2025) in Grenada.
Set for July 28–29, 2025, ACTIF2025 will bring together public and private sector leaders from across Africa and the Caribbean, to deepen economic ties under the theme: “Resilience and Transformation: Enhancing Africa-Caribbean Economic Cooperation in an Era of Global Uncertainty.” The high-profile forum is expected to deliver tangible investment and trade outcomes, building on more than US$4 billion in deals signed during the previous forum in The Bahamas.
During his final address as Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) at its 33rd Annual General Meeting, Komal Singh championed Guyana’s increasing regional integration and growing international reputation, pointing to the strong momentum behind the country’s business diplomacy.
“Prime Minister [of Grenada] Dickon Mitchell was very impressed with the quality and packaging of Guyanese products at Agrofest in Barbados. As a result of that, he invited all of those small businesses to participate in the Agri-Eximbank Forum in Grenada,” Singh disclosed. “So far, over 60 or 70 small businesses have confirmed their participation.”
These companies will not only showcase Guyana’s growing manufacturing, agro-processing, and creative sectors, but also explore B2B and B2G partnerships, tap into new financing opportunities, and participate in high-level policy and investment dialogues.
Singh noted that Guyana’s previous international engagements, including the landmark trade mission to the Dominican Republic with President Irfaan Ali, have already yielded major business benefits, demonstrating the value of collaborative diplomacy.
“We took one of the largest delegations, almost 100 businesses to the Dominican Republic. Since then, we’ve seen significant benefits,” Singh said. “Partnerships like these help us grow as a country and region.”
ACTIF2025, organized by Afreximbank in partnership with the Government of Grenada, is the fourth edition of the forum, and is expected to attract hundreds of investors, officials, and entrepreneurs. It will feature sector-specific panels, investment showcases, financing platforms, and policy dialogues aimed at unlocking trade between Africa and the Caribbean, projected by the International Trade Centre (ITC) to reach US$1.8 billion by 2028.
“Connecting opportunity with capital and market intelligence is key,” Afreximbank said in a statement. “ACTIF2025 will continue the work of transforming economic cooperation between our two regions.”
As Guyana’s private sector increasingly steps onto the international stage, its presence at ACTIF2025 promises not just visibility, but opportunity, partnerships, and a broader gateway into African markets.
“Let us all work collectively as a team,” Singh urged. “There is a big future ahead for Guyana, and the time to seize it is now.”