IDB Group, Caribbean Governors discuss climate resilience, integration

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group held its XII Annual Consultation with the Governors of IDB Caribbean member countries on February 23-24 in Georgetown, Guyana.
The gathering was part of preparations for the IDB and IDB Invest Annual Meetings, which will take place on March 6-10 in the Dominican Republic.
This high-level dialogue included representatives from The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago and a representative from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), a longstanding partner of the IDB which facilitates support to Eastern Caribbean nation states.
During his first visit to Guyana as IDB President, Ilan Goldfajn acknowledged the Bank’s collaboration with the Caribbean region over more than 55 years. “Despite its relatively small size, the Caribbean is a big player in matters such as climate change, education and digital transformation. The Region’s experience, expertise, resilience and leading role in climate preparedness is an example for the world,” he said.

The meeting was a space for dialogue with the Region’s Ministers about which priorities should guide the development agenda in upcoming years and how the IDB could deepen its support to the countries through financing, knowledge, and technical assistance. The IDB’s new institutional strategy and the “One Caribbean” programme were also presented as crucial components of the development agenda and direct responses to the needs of the Region.

“One Caribbean”
“One Caribbean”, a new regional flagship program that aims to promote the sustainable development of the Caribbean with a sharpened focus on high-impact initiatives, was also discussed at the meeting. The programme focuses on four pillars: climate adaptation, disaster risk management and resilience; citizen security; Private Sector engagement; and food security, as well as two cross-cutting areas, strengthening institutions and facilitating digital transformation. This program is a result of the dialogue between President Goldfajn and the Caribbean Governors in 2023.

Signings
The annual consultation was also the occasion for new signings with the Governments of Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname facilitating investments to support development needs in the areas of education, digital transformation, and transportation. Additionally, IDB Invest, the Private Sector arm of the Group, signed three operations with companies in Guyana for financing in the logistics sector, tertiary education, and sustainable tourism.

Impact on the Caribbean’s development
In 2023, the IDB’s support to the Region has impacted more than 11,000 persons with disabilities in Suriname, over 1800 farmers in Guyana, and led to the provision of tele-monitoring services which have provided extended support for persons suffering from chronic illnesses in Jamaica. Nearly 1400 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have already benefited from business advisory services in The Bahamas.
Approximately 18,680 residential customers in Barbados have been able to benefit from the Barbados Power Plant Project designed to provide reliable and clean electricity to the Barbadian grid.
To strengthen Private Sector capacity across the Caribbean, IDB Invest has been supporting port infrastructure for fostering regional integration, facilitating foreign trade, and contributing to food security.
Additionally, IDB Lab has been accelerating digital transformation, supporting the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices, addressing climate change mitigation and resilience, procuring basic infrastructure services, and fostering innovation in the health sector.