Barbados on Wednesday welcomed its first direct Ethiopian Airlines flight from Lagos, Nigeria which was specially arranged to bring in delegates for the inaugural AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ATIF2022) that officials hope will result in new opportunities and investment for businesses here.The flight touched down at the Grantley Adams International Airport around 10:30 a.m. with 103 passengers, including delegates and media personnel, on board.More than 1 000 people have registered for the September 1-3 forum which is being jointly hosted by the Government of Barbados and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Sandra Husbands described ATIF2022 as ground-breaking, noting that it signalled the start of a new relationship between the African continent and Barbados and the Caribbean.She said the conference will provide Barbadian-based businesses with a larger market to offer their products and services.