A new publication by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Compete Caribbean urged Caribbean countries to advance on key reforms to improve the business environment and boost firm productivity in a bid to accelerate long-term growth. The book, “ Are We There Yet? The Path toward Sustainable Private Sector Development in the Caribbean ,” analyzes opportunities and challenges for key policy reforms aimed at increasing the competitiveness and dynamism of the region’s private sector. This comprehensive book offers a regional perspective, encompassing 13 Caribbean nations: Antigua and
Pension systems in the Caribbean will run out of funds within the next 10 to 15 years unless urgent reforms are implemented to ensure their sustainability, according to a new publication by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Caribbean countries can build more resilient safety nets for their aging populations by addressing administrative inefficiencies, improving investment strategies, and considering adjustments to retirement age, among other measures, according to the report titled “ Building Resilient Safety Nets in the Caribbean: Future-Proofing Retirement Incomes .” The report is
The President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) have agreed to enhance their collaboration to better support the efforts of common members in Latin America and the Caribbean to foster sustainable and inclusive growth and address the structural challenges of climate change. Operating within the scope of each institution’s mandate, IDB and IMF staff will increase their cooperation in two main areas: general coordination and climate finance. As part of their enhanced general coordination, the IDB and the IMF staff
IDB Lab, the innovation laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group), in collaboration with the IDB and IDB Invest, and the U.S. government, through its agency USAID, is launching the Sargassum Innovation Quest . The initiative aims to harness the potential of the sargassum biomass and improve the resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean’s coastal communities through the use of advanced technology and innovative practice. Since 2011, the region has faced significant challenges from the influx of sargassum, impacting tourism, fisheries and coastal ecosystems. The
With the economic and social stresses of the pandemic receding, Caribbean economies are experiencing continued growth into 2024, according to a new report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). After the strong economic recovery of 2021–2023, Caribbean economies continue to grow at a somewhat faster pace than the Latin America and the Caribbean region, though country circumstances vary. For example, economic growth in Guyana is expected to be over 30% this year, while tourism-oriented economies are expected to grow only 2.6%. At the same time, economies are experiencing diverging
The call will be open from May 20 to June 28, 2024 The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) launched the seventh edition of the Superheroes of Development contest to recognize clients and executing institutions excelling in the successful resolution of challenges during the implementation stage of development projects. Superheroes of Development is a BIDAcademy initiative that rewards the best lessons learned from operations containing stories that have the potential of helping other initiatives attain effective implementation. Studying the challenging path that others have
The new series will explore inequality, how it intersects with factors including gender and race, and how it impacts access to education or employment. BIDAcademy, the knowledge and learning platform of the IDB Group – which consists of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest and IDB Lab – has kicked off "Rethinking Equality ." This new podcast series will analyze the causes of inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean, the reasons for its persistence, and ways to reduce it to build a better future. Over the series’ 12 episodes on the "Voices in Action" podcast , Ana María
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — The Caribbean Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) endorsed the “One Caribbean” program, a comprehensive framework designed to support enhancing living standards across the Caribbean region. The program 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. The signing of this endorsement statement took place during the IDB and IDB
Development challenge The region grapples with challenges in developing its human capital, facing gaps in access to social services, such as education and health and quality jobs. These disparities exist across income levels, region, gender and diverse groups. Problem explanation: Despite progress in poverty alleviation, 29% of Latin America and the Caribbean’s population – equivalent to 183 million people – live in precarious conditions, without sufficient income to meet their basic needs. Challenges stemming from lack of access to essential conditions begin at an early age and persist
IDB Lab, the innovation laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, will invest US$750,000 to support the Jamaican company Novamed to build Catalyst, the first health innovation accelerator and incubator in the Caribbean region. Health innovation is crucial to overcoming healthcare challenges in the Caribbean and improving access to quality care, creating opportunities to accelerate positive impact. Novamed’s focus on private sector-led healthcare innovation aims to improve the quality and affordability of care, which can benefit on a greater scale vulnerable populations and