Identifying practical measures for leveraging regional and international collaboration to achieve sustainable development is the focus of the 54th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors (BOG) of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), scheduled for June 17-20, 2024, in Ottawa, Canada.

Themed "Partnerships for Resilient Prosperity," the hybrid event reflects the Bank's drive to catalyse cooperative approaches to bolster growth and resilience across its Borrowing Member Countries (BMC). The Meeting will provide a platform for consultation and interaction between the Bank’s highest levels of leadership and critical stakeholder groups including donor entities, sector experts, public sector leaders, and development partners.   

The agenda will facilitate collaborative exchanges and knowledge sharing to address the Region's most pressing development challenges. The dialogue will explore avenues for reshaping the international financing paradigm to prioritise resilient, inclusive prosperity. Priority issues will include practical approaches to stimulating economic activity, mitigating the Region’s vulnerabilities, enhancing implementation capacity in BMCs, and confronting common threats such as climate change impacts.

CDB’s Acting President, Mr. Isaac Solomon said, “This Annual Meeting provides a vital opportunity to strengthen partnerships that can unlock transformative solutions for sustainable development across CDB’s Borrowing Member Countries. By promoting collaborative approaches and exchange of expertise, we can identify practical strategies to catalyse economic growth, build resilience to overcome our vulnerabilities, and prioritise inclusive prosperity for all Caribbean people and communities."

With the Government of Canada serving as host, the 2024 Annual Meeting also presents an opportunity for regional stakeholders to deepen engagement with the international development community.

Canada’s Minister of International Development, Hon. Ahmed Hussen, the current Chairman of CDB’s BOG, said, “Canada and the Caribbean region share a close relationship. Together, we’ve worked to reduce poverty, take action on climate change, and invest in renewable energy. Canada is a founding member of the Caribbean Development Bank and the largest contributor to the Bank’s Special Development Fund for tackling the biggest challenges.

As the 2024 Chair of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank, I look forward to strengthening our ties and welcoming members of the Caribbean Region to Ottawa. The Annual Meeting will serve as an opportunity for our two regions to come together, discuss current issues and chart a course for future action.”

In keeping with CDB’s knowledge-sharing objectives, the event schedule includes a seminar series to unveil research findings and facilitate solution-driven dialogue on pivotal matters including improving connectivity and logistics to bolster regional trade, promoting gender equity in Caribbean Labour Markets, mobilising private capital to advance sustainable development, and utilising the region’s creative industries in development strategies. The agenda also features the esteemed William G. Demas Memorial Lecture, which will explore the enabling factors and environment needed to foster greater private sector engagement and investment in driving development initiatives.