Wilmington, DE — The Center for Global Africa (CGA), in partnership with the Marcus Garvey Institute for Human Development (MGIHD) convened the Pan African Global Trade & Investment Conference (PAGTIC-DE), held September 17–20, 2025, in Wilmington, Delaware on the margins of the United Nations 80th General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The conference, themed Shaping the Future: Connecting Markets and Building Prosperity, drew government officials and leadership throughout the region, the state of Delaware and Africa as well as investors, labor leaders, and policymakers to advance U.S., Africa, and Caribbean trade relations.
CGA’s Role as Catalyst
As convener, the CGA and the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) were at the center of high-level discussions that linked Delaware’s $635 million Port of Wilmington upgrades with Africa’s fast-growing, multi-billion dollar markets, advancing port-to-port partnerships with a strong showing from CGA host nation representatives that included Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Ablakwa; Ambassador to the U.S. Victor Smith; and Ecumenical and Economic Envoy, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah. Also, representing Sierra Leone’s government was Amara Kallon, Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs.
With CGA being distinguished as a strategic partner to the African Union’s (AU) African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the conference demonstrated the value of Diaspora leadership in building viable and functional 21st-century frameworks to strengthen U.S. trade relations globally at a time of great geopolitical complexities.
“The conference was a platform for key U.S., African, and Caribbean stakeholders of like minds to strategize on trade and development that considers African priorities such as Agenda 2063 and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)” said Professor Ezrah Aharone, Founder & Chairman of the Center for Global Africa. “Through our commercial diplomacy channels with the AU, APRM, and African host nations, the CGA operates as a strategic managing partner to bring high level representatives and decisionmakers together for mutually beneficial socioeconomic engagements that are Diaspora driven.”
Delaware as a Critical Port Two-Way Launchpad
The event also highlighted the state of Delaware’s interests as a U.S.-Africa trading hub, through the presence of the Governor of Delaware, Matt Meyer, and Secretary of State, Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez, State Representatives Larry Lambert and Frank Cooke and New Castle County Executive, Marcus Henry and Chief of Staff, House Republican Caucus David Deputy, ILA Business Agent, Ronald Kimoko Harris, business owners, faith-based leadership and NAACP DE State Conference President Fleur McKendall. By connecting the Port of Wilmington’s to African markets and supply chains, particularly in agriculture and cold storage logistics, CGA can position the state to expand its trading partners and products to and from African nations.
“The work of Prof. Ezrah and the CGA-APRM partnership is so important,” stated Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs. “The Foreign Ministry has clear targets for new investment opportunities, new markets for Ghanian products, new economic cooperations and creating new markets for trade in the USA. Economic Diplomacy must be impactful . . . Diplomacy that leads to job creation, industry and economic advancements,” he concluded.
A Foundation for the Future
The conference and post agenda plans have built momentum for long-term CGA economic platforms that places Diaspora voice and expertise at tables of trade, policy, and governance. With Africa projected to be a dominant global growth engine, the CGA emphasized that U.S.-Africa trade must move beyond transactions to create sustainable prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.
Learn more:
www.centerforglobalafrica.com
