Low goods trade but African digital opportunities loom – Export Barbados

Digital services, artificial intelligence and pharmaceuticals could help Barbados expand trade with Africa, but the head of the state export promotion agency has said financing, shipping and production constraints must be addressed to increase goods exports.

With less than one per cent of Barbados’ exports currently going to Africa, Export Barbados Chief Executive Officer Mark Hill said Barbados must rethink how it produces and delivers goods to establish and sustain trade with the 54-nation continental market.

He told Barbados TODAY, “We imported just around $4 million in goods from Africa last year, and less than one per cent of our exports goes towards Africa. So there is a lot of work to be done on the goods side, but goods are the only form of exports. You have digital products and digital services, business products and business services that are growing, and we are saying that portfolio is increasing significantly.”