Regional journalists in Barbados for CDB press conference

The Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) vision and 10-year strategic direction, its 2025 performance and what’s ahead in 2026 is expected to be discussed at the bank’s Annual News Conference (ANC) today.

The ANC will be held in Barbados and will be streamed live from 10 a.m. It can be viewed on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

The ANC is expected to see presentations from CDB President Daniel Best, its Director of Projects Department O’Reilly Lewis, Deputy Director (Ag) Economics Department Jason Cotton, and Division Chief of Environmental Sustainability Valerie Isaac.

President Best will focus on the CDB’s vision and 10-year strategic direction, while highlighting the Bank’s 2025 performance. He is also expected to focus on what’s ahead in 2026, while providing updates on impactful projects across the region and how the CDB is accelerating climate action and resilience.

The CDB’s purpose is to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development in the Caribbean by financing projects in areas such as infrastructure (roads, bridges, ports, water systems), education (schools, training programs), health (hospitals and clinics), disaster recovery (rebuilding after hurricanes and floods) and climate resilience (coastal protection and renewable energy).

After major storms like Hurricane Beryl (July 1st, 2024), the CDB provided emergency loans or grants to help countries rebuild quickly.

CDB funded projects in SVG include, the Kingstown Port Modernisation Project, the renovation and expansion of the Kingstown Anglican School, the Road Management and Rural Roads Improvement Programme, the Volcanic Eruption Emergency Recovery (VEEP) and post-Hurricane Beryl recovery initiatives.

The CDB is a regional financial institution that provides loans, grants, and technical assistance to Caribbean countries to support economic and social development.

It was established in 1969 and is headquartered in Bridgetown, Barbados. The members are the 19 regional borrowing countries (including most CARICOM states) and several non-regional members such as the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and China.

Several regional journalists have converged on Barbados for the ANC.