Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo (GECSCE) from February 18–21, 2025 welcomes African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as its Diamond Sponsor.
Pan-African multilateral financial institution Afreximbank finances and promotes intra- and extra-African trade.
The Bank’s major goal is to promote African trade’s growth, diversification, and development as a first-class, profit-oriented, socially responsible financial organisation and African trade expert.
The Bank, headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, serves the Caribbean population from offices in Harare (Zimbabwe), Lagos (Nigeria), Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Yaoundé (Cameroon), Kampala (Uganda), and Bridgetown (Barbados).
12 of 15 CARICOM countries are Afreximbank members, demonstrating the Bank’s “Global Africa” focus. This plan seeks to unify all Africans, regardless of geography, in confronting global economic concerns and achieving shared growth and prosperity.
Anthony Whyte, Chairman of the Guyana Energy Conference, stressed the need of such a financial powerhouse, especially as the region struggles to finance sustainable growth.
“For over three decades, Afreximbank has led Africa’s transformation with innovative financial instruments. The financial organisation has granted US$1.5 billion in CARICOM finance to strengthen its trade and links with the Caribbean. This will reach US$3 billion when all 15 CARICOM nations sign the collaboration treaty.”
The Chairman said, “With Afreximbank at our conference, it signals to the world that it is committed to helping regional economies like ours achieve sustainable growth and trade expansion. I look forward to their valuable contributions, which will reinforce the business community’s roadmap for success.”
The Chairman said that the bank has led investment trips to CARICOM that have resulted in pipeline projects worth over US$2 billion, so this significant support is not a unilateral show of commitment. These include Bahamas small and medium enterprise development, Barbados tourism revitalisation, Grenada tourism, Saint Kitts and Nevis renewable energy and trade finance, and Saint Lucia climate adaption actions.
Whyte said Afreximbank exchanged a US$500 million loan proposal with local authorities during its 31st Annual Meetings in Nassau, Bahamas in June 2024, demonstrating its readiness to help Guyana’s economic transition.
We are pleased to be a Diamond Sponsor of the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo, said Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank. This event promotes energy industry communication and collaboration, a key driver of economic growth in Guyana and the Caribbean. Afreximbank participates in such projects to help CARICOM maximise its natural resources. This supports our Intra-African commerce strategy and Global Africa program to engage the African diaspora. We hope to use our unique financial products and collaborations to help Guyana grow its energy.
In June 2024, Afreximbank held its first Annual Meetings (AAM2024) in CARICOM in Nassau, Bahamas.
The event, themed ‘Owning our Destiny: Economic Prosperity on the Platform of Global Africa,’ drew nearly 4,000 guests from around the world, including Heads of State, Prime Ministers, government ministers, and business executives Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo
