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Caribbean Export Supports New Caribbean Services Exporter of the Year Award

Caribbean Export is pleased to support the Caribbean Services Exporter of the Year Award, a new category within the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Champions of Business Awards 2026.

The Champions of Business Awards recognise and celebrate excellence in business, including new and emerging businesses in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean. First introduced in 2005 as the Business Hall of Fame Awards, the programme was expanded and rebranded in 2014 as Champions of Business. The annual awards ceremony is the TT Chamber’s final and culminating Signature Event.

This year’s Champions of Business Awards are being held under the theme “In the Spirit of Excellence”, celebrating innovation, resilience, leadership, and enduring business impact. The newly introduced Caribbean Services Exporter of the Year Award, supported by Caribbean Export, recognises Caribbean services exporters that demonstrate sustained cross-border growth and measurable export performance.

Nominations are now open, and businesses and individuals across Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean are encouraged to nominate outstanding champions across the various award categories. You do not have to be a member of the TT Chamber to nominate or to be nominated.

The criteria booklet and nomination forms are available here:
https://chamber.org.tt/spiritofexcellence2026

Nominations close at midnight on July 24, 2026.

Caribbean Export encourages its network to take this opportunity to recognise the people and organisations helping to raise the standard of service excellence and export performance across the Caribbean.

Haitian cocoa processor Choko Lakay is steadily building an international presence, demonstrating how targeted export development support can help Caribbean firms strengthen competitiveness, improve market readiness, and access new buyers. Founded in 2016, the company has grown from a small operation with three employees into a business employing 12 people, while working closely with cocoa farming communities and advancing a value-added approach to Haiti’s cocoa sector. Its business model is rooted in maximising value across the cocoa chain, with a strong focus on sustainability, product innovation, and community impact.  

Caribbean Export has supported Choko Lakay through a range of interventions spanning investment promotion, capacity building activities, standards and certification support, and trade promotion activities. The company participated in the Caribbean AgTech Summit (2021), SIAL Paris 2022 under the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme, Voluntary Sustainability Standards training (2023), Virtual E-commerce Accelerator Programme II online training (2023), DHL GoTrade’s The Art of Logistics (2024), the Facilitating Trade and Investment between the Caribbean and Africa webinar (2024), Standards and Certification Webinar: EU Market Entry – Understanding the Sustainability Standards and Certifications (2025), and Agroalimentaria 2025. Together, these initiatives helped position the firm to better understand export requirements, strengthen its business systems, and engage international markets. 

A major turning point came with Choko Lakay’s participation in SIAL Paris 2022, where the company was among 14 firms selected to showcase under Caribbean Export support. According to co-owner Brisly Germéus, the trade fair gave the company critical exposure to the realities of the global marketplace, including buyer expectations around requirements, standards, packaging, and labelling. It also created valuable opportunities to connect with investors, importers, distributors, ingredient suppliers, and other commercial partners. The company notes that this experience directly influenced improvements to its packaging and presentation, helping align its products more closely with international standards and increasing buyer interest. 

“SIAL enabled us to discover the global market—its requirements, standards, packaging and labelling. We also met investors, importers, distributors, ingredient suppliers and other partners. As a result, we saw growing demand first in Europe and then in North America.” 

The impact of that international exposure has continued to unfold. Following its participation in Caribbean Export-supported trade and capacity-building activities, Choko Lakay reported stronger interest in its 100% natural cocoa products from overseas buyers. More recently, participation in Agroalimentaria 2025 generated commercial interest from Martinique, Canada, the United States of America, and The Bahamas. The company has since secured orders from buyers in the USA and Canada, while retail buyers in Martinique are exploring distribution arrangements. Choko Lakay now sells both directly and through e-commerce, widening its reach and improving access to new customer segments. 

The company has also benefited from the broader ecosystem-building effects of trade promotion. Relationships formed through these platforms have led to new collaborations, including engagement with Café 509, where shared networks, workspaces, and distributors are helping to unlock further opportunities. These connections underscore the value of Caribbean Export’s programming not only in linking firms to buyers, but also in fostering commercial partnerships that can support scaling and market entry. 

Beyond export growth, Choko Lakay’s business has a strong development impact. The company is committed to strengthening the cocoa/chocolate value chain and currently works with approximately 500 cocoa producers, the majority of whom are women. The company also highlights its wider sustainability ambitions, including a zero-waste production model, efforts to improve traceability, and ongoing work toward Fairtrade certification with FLOCERT and organic certification with ECOCERT. These efforts reflect the type of resilience, innovation, and inclusive growth that Caribbean Export seeks to foster through its SME support programmes.  

While demand is rising, Choko Lakay has identified production capacity as its main constraint. The company reports receiving requests from markets such as the United Kingdom and France, but notes that limited equipment and financing are restricting its ability to scale output and fulfil larger export orders. For this reason, continued support through MSME assistance programmes remains critical to helping the business convert market interest into sustained export growth. 

Choko Lakay’s journey illustrates the importance of sustained, multi-layered support in helping Caribbean MSMEs move from potential to performance. Through Caribbean Export’s interventions in trade promotion, standards, logistics, digital visibility, and investment readiness, the company has strengthened its export capability, improved its market positioning, and opened new commercial pathways. As it continues to scale, Choko Lakay stands as an example of how Caribbean firms can leverage strategic support to build internationally competitive brands while generating tangible benefits for local producers and communities.

Read more here: Annual Results Report 2025 | Caribbean Export

When Guyana’s Beharry Group and Jamaica’s Amber Group agreed to launch a new joint venture in technology and cybersecurity, the story started not in a boardroom, but in a crowded conference hall at the Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) 2025 in Montego Bay. 

“I’ve been to every CIF since it started,” says Anand Harilall, Chief Strategy Officer of Beharry Group. “Based on the actual outcomes, I’ll say Jamaica was the best one – we got a partnership out of that.”  

Beharry Group is one of Guyana’s oldest and most diversified conglomerates, with more than 87 years in business and operations across six industry verticals including financial services, manufacturing, quick-service restaurants, mobility, energy services and now technology. As Group Strategy Officer, Harilall is responsible for charting the group’s path to 2030 and driving its ambition to become “a leading conglomerate in the region and beyond.”  

That growth vision made CIF a strategic priority. Harilall describes the Forum as a place where “all the key stakeholders are in one space” – development banks, investors, corporates and governments – creating rich opportunities to network, explore partnerships and showcase what Beharry is doing in high-growth markets like Guyana.  

The pivotal moment came during a CIF session on digital transformation led by Amber Group founder Dushyant Savadia. Digital transformation is a core pillar of Beharry’s 2030 strategy, so Harilall rearranged another meeting to hear the presentation. “A lot of what he said and what his business was doing was very much aligned with our business and the different industries that we’re in,” he recalls. After the session, “there were a slew of people waiting to engage him,” but Harilall “jumped the queue,” delivered a “minute and a half pitch,” and walked away with Savadia’s mobile number and an agreement to keep talking.  

What followed was classic CIF follow-through: virtual meetings, market visits and deep discussions about strategy, values and fit. “What’s critical with partnerships is alignment, shared values,” Harilall notes. Those conversations culminated in a joint venture focused on deploying Amber’s technology solutions both within the Beharry Group and across the Guyanese and wider Caribbean market.  

The collaboration is designed to accelerate Beharry’s own digital transformation—rolling out tools such as fleet and asset tracking, operational efficiency platforms and other enterprise solutions across its 14 operating companies—while positioning the new venture as a technology and cybersecurity solutions provider for government and private sector clients. With Caribbean and Latin American markets “highly susceptible to cyber-attacks,” Harilall sees a clear opportunity to strengthen resilience in areas such as e-government, health, education and financial services, building on Amber’s experience working with the Government of Jamaica.  

For Harilall, the partnership is a textbook example of what CIF is meant to achieve. The deal did not close in the conference room, but CIF created the environment, access and momentum that made it possible. “Sometimes the outcomes might be immediate; sometimes they happen over time through connections,” he says. “But if you weren’t there, you might not have been able to connect.”  

As Caribbean Export marks its 30th anniversary, the Beharry–Amber story stands out as a tangible result of the Caribbean Investment Forum’s convening power—turning a conference encounter into a regional partnership that will help build the Caribbean’s digital and cybersecurity backbone. 

Read more here: Annual Results Report 2025 | Caribbean Export

Today, we identified unauthorized activity involving a portion of our Agency’s Microsoft SharePoint environment. Upon detection, immediate containment and investigative measures were initiated, including securing affected systems and conducting a preliminary forensic review.

At this stage of the investigation, the only data potentially exposed appears limited to business email addresses and related contact information.

The nature of the incident appears consistent with a spam or phishing-oriented compromise scenario, where unauthorized parties may attempt to leverage access for the distribution of fraudulent or misleading email communications.

As a precaution, we advise all clients, partners, and contacts to exercise additional care with any unexpected emails claiming to originate from our Agency within the last 24 hours.

If you receive a message that appears unusual, contains unexpected links or attachments, or requests sensitive information, please verify its authenticity directly with us before responding or taking action by sending an email to dataprivacy@carib-export.com. For questions or verification of communications claiming to originate from our Agency, you can also contact us directly through our official channels.

Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve rapidly, and the growing use of artificial intelligence is enabling threat actors to identify vulnerabilities and exploit them more quickly and efficiently than in previous years. Organizations globally continue to face increasing levels of automated scanning, phishing activity, and targeted exploitation attempts against cloud-based platforms and collaboration systems.

Our technical teams and external advisors continue to investigate the matter thoroughly, monitor systems for further suspicious activity, and implement additional safeguards where necessary.

We take the protection of information and the security of our systems seriously and will provide further updates should additional relevant information emerge.

Building a more integrated, private sector driven approach to access climate finance across a shared regional system

The Caribbean did not create the climate crisis, yet it remains among the regions most exposed to its consequences. Nearly 70% of the population lives and works in coastal zones, and core sectors including tourism, agriculture, fisheries, and construction are directly exposed to climate shocks. Hurricanes, sea level rise, and ecosystem degradation do not recognise political boundaries or institutional arrangements. In practical terms, the Caribbean functions as a single climate system, defined by shared exposure and deeply interconnected economic vulnerabilities.

It is within this context that Caribbean Export’s recent accreditation to the Green Climate Fund marks an important shift for the region. As a regional institution working directly with businesses, this accreditation creates a practical pathway to bring climate finance closer to the private sector actors that are central to building resilience, and that have historically remained beyond the reach of global financing structures.

The current climate finance architecture is increasingly taking into account regional realities, including the Caribbean’s position as a shared and interconnected climate system, yet its structures remain in transition.

Access to major funding pools, including multilateral climate funds, blended finance facilities, and technical assistance instruments, continues to be shaped by institutional categories such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and sovereign eligibility. While these distinctions reflect the legacy architecture of the international system, they do not always align with how climate risk is experienced across the region. The Caribbean’s shared vulnerabilities point to a single climate zone, yet financing flows often remain fragmented. The result is not a lack of commitment, but a system in which resources do not consistently reach the full range of actors responsible for building resilience.

This fragmentation is most evident in the private sector. Micro, small and medium sized enterprises account for over 90% of firms and a substantial share of employment across the Caribbean, yet many remain structurally excluded from climate finance. The constraint is not simply the availability of capital. It is the difficulty of connecting it to investment-ready opportunities at a scale, structure, and risk profile that international financiers can support.

In that sense, Caribbean Export’s accreditation is not an endpoint, but an inflection point. It signals a shift towards a more active role for regional institutions in translating global capital into investable opportunities on the ground.

Global analysis reinforces both the scale of the challenge and the opportunity ahead. The UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2025 estimates that developing countries will need between USD 310 billion and USD 365 billion annually for climate adaptation by 2035. At the same time, international public finance flows from developed to developing countries declined from USD 28 billion in 2022 to USD 26 billion in 2023. For Caribbean SIDS, the ambition is clear, with adaptation integrated into national development frameworks, but financing continues to fall far short of what is required.

These figures do not yet fully reflect the evolving global context. The 2025 shock to the international cooperation system, including the dismantling of USAID and the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, has removed one of the largest sources of development finance at a moment of increasing need.

The UNEP report also highlights a significant private sector opportunity. Potential investment in national adaptation priorities is estimated at approximately USD 50 billion per year, compared to current private sector flows of roughly USD 5 billion globally. When combined with more than USD 250 billion annually in private sector climate proofing of business assets, the scale of the opportunity becomes clear. The challenge is not solely one of financing. It is one of intermediation. Capital must be connected to viable projects in markets that remain unfamiliar to global investors and where perceived risk remains high.

Diverse Regional Realities, Unified by Climate Needs

The Caribbean’s climate finance challenge does not map neatly onto its political geography. At the level of international donors and multilateral organisations, engagement with the region is often fragmented. In some cases, the Caribbean is treated as an extension of Latin America, limiting focus and scale. In others, engagement is confined to CARICOM, excluding economies such as Cuba and the Dominican Republic, despite their size, investment activity, and climate finance potential.

Alongside these dynamics, Haiti presents a distinct and more complex reality. Its private sector operates under extreme constraints, shaped by political fragility, institutional disruption, and acute climate vulnerability. While its status as an LDC provides theoretical access to certain financing windows, the operational environment often prevents this support from materialising in practice, limiting the extent to which available resources can be effectively deployed.

In response, the Green Climate Fund has committed to strengthening Haiti’s National Designated Authority through the United Nations Development Programme. Within this evolving framework, Caribbean Export’s accreditation creates scope to support business associations and MSMEs through technical assistance, project preparation, and regional financing linkages, helping bridge the gap between available finance and the realities on the ground. Building climate resilient enterprises in Haiti is therefore inseparable from the country’s broader recovery.

Beyond this, several Caribbean territories, including Aruba, Curaçao, Martinique, Guadeloupe, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and the British Virgin Islands, remain outside the CARIFORUM framework while sharing the same climate exposure. Their access to multilateral climate finance is often constrained by their political status, and the funding mechanisms available to them are not always aligned with the realities of Caribbean private sector development, being primarily designed for continental European contexts.

Taken together, these dynamics point to a clear conclusion. Climate finance in the Caribbean is not only a question of how much capital exists, but how effectively it can be intermediated.

From Fragmentation to Delivery

Advancing climate finance in the Caribbean will depend on translating this evolving landscape into practical outcomes for businesses and communities. For Caribbean Export, the recent accreditation to the Green Climate Fund provides a platform to do precisely this, acting as a regional intermediary to unlock climate finance and channel it towards private sector actors. This builds on existing efforts, including the Caribbean Investment Forum, which has positioned itself as a key platform to attract foreign direct investment into transformational sectors, including the transition to a green economy. The following priorities outline a practical pathway to operationalise this role.

A central priority is the development of a robust pipeline of private sector climate projects. This requires coordinated engagement between governments, financial institutions, development partners, and business organisations to identify and structure opportunities across renewable energy, climate smart agriculture, resilient infrastructure, sustainable tourism, and the blue economy. These projects must be technically sound, financially viable, and aligned with international standards, while remaining grounded in local realities.

Expanding access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises is equally important. Many firms operate below the thresholds of traditional development finance and require tailored instruments to participate meaningfully. Blended finance approaches, combining concessional capital with risk sharing mechanisms, offer a practical pathway to lowering barriers, crowding in private investment, and enabling firms to invest in resilience and low carbon growth.

In complex environments such as Haiti, strengthening the capacity of business associations and enterprises to engage with climate finance will be essential. This includes support for project preparation, climate risk assessment, and access to regional financing mechanisms, ensuring that available resources translate into sustained impact.

At the institutional level, continued investment in readiness remains critical. Strengthening proposal development capabilities, enhancing coordination with National Designated Authorities, and aligning regional initiatives will help ensure that efforts are mutually reinforcing rather than duplicative.

Greater coordination across institutions will further support this process. The Caribbean benefits from a wide range of development partners, and the opportunity lies in ensuring that these actors operate in a more integrated and complementary manner. The objective is not to create new structures, but to ensure that existing ones function as part of a coherent system.

A Strategic Inflection Point

The Caribbean is a region of extraordinary diversity, spanning different languages, political systems, and economic structures. What it shares, however, is geography, vulnerability, and a common need for a climate finance architecture that serves the region, rather than one the region must continuously adapt itself to fit.

Within this context, regional intermediaries have an increasingly important role to play. Caribbean Export’s accreditation to the Green Climate Fund provides a platform to strengthen the connection between international capital and Caribbean businesses. It does not resolve every structural barrier, nor is it intended to. Rather, it establishes a practical mechanism through which, in partnership with regional and international actors, bankable projects can be developed, access to finance expanded, and the persistent gap between global capital and Caribbean enterprise more effectively bridged.

Climate finance is gradually evolving towards a more integrated model that recognises the importance of regional systems and local actors in delivering resilience on the ground. The question is not whether this shift will occur, but whether the Caribbean can move with sufficient speed, coordination, and clarity of purpose to shape it.

Because ultimately, the measure of climate finance will not be the volume of capital committed, but how effectively it reaches the businesses and communities already carrying the burden of the region’s resilience.

In 2025, Jamaican technology startup Innovative Data Mining & Advanced Analytics Partners (IDMAPS) was selected as a beneficiary of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, a flagship programme funded by the European Union that supports strategic partnerships between corporates and innovative startups across Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Since the partnership began in 2025, IDMAPS has been actively implementing the partnership acceleration process. While the final service delivery is still underway, the collaboration has already demonstrated strong progress, transforming a cross-regional collaboration into a solution with clear potential for market deployment and international scaling.

Addressing a critical digital security challenge

As financial institutions face increasingly complex fraud, financial crime, and cybersecurity threats, the need for secure digital identity and authentication solutions has never been more urgent. IDMAPS responded to this challenge by developing advanced data-driven technologies focused primarily on the detection of fraud and money laundering, while also designed to protect customer identities, secure transactions, and strengthen digital trust across financial systems.

Building an EU–Caribbean partnership

Through the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, IDMAPS (Jamaica) was matched with Engage (Italy), a consulting firm specialising in regulatory compliance and data governance for the banking sector. The partnership combined Engage’s expertise in European financial regulation with IDMAPS’ strengths in digital authentication, analytics, and secure data management to co-develop a solution tailored for financial institutions operating in highly regulated environments — particularly in relation to fraud prevention and AML compliance.

“The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator enabled us to turn a conversation into a structured, results-oriented partnership. We moved from a shared idea to a collaborative solution with real potential for implementation in both European and Caribbean markets,” said Camille Cole, COO of IDMAPS.

Tangible results from the acceleration process

 Through the ongoing acceleration programme, IDMAPS and Engage achieved several key outcomes:

• Co-designed and validated a joint digital authentication and fraud-prevention solution
• Developed a clear partnership and commercial model aligned with EU regulatory frameworks
• Prepared the solution for pilot deployment with financial institutions
• Strengthened IDMAPS’ investment readiness and international market access

“The acceleration process has given us strategic clarity, commercial structure, and access to an ecosystem that would normally be out of reach for a Caribbean startup. It has positioned us strongly for global scaling as the partnership continues,” the COO added.

Impact for Jamaica and the wider Caribbean

IDMAPS’ success demonstrates how Caribbean startups can integrate into global value chains through structured innovation partnerships.  As the EU-LAC partnership continues to mature, IDMAPS is now strengthening its position as a globally competitive digital solutions provider, contributing to a more secure and resilient digital economy while showcasing Jamaica’s innovation potential on the international stage.

About IDMAPS

Innovative Data Mining & Advanced Analytics Partners (IDMAPS) is a Jamaica-based technology company specialising in advanced analytics, enterprise data management, digital authentication, and digital transformation solutions for public and private sector clients.

About the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator

The EU-LAC Digital Accelerator is funded by the European Union and implemented by an international consortium led by TECNALIA. The consortium brings together TECNALIA (including TECNALIA Colombia), IESE Business School (University of Navarra), EBAN (European Business Angels Network), EBN (European Business & Innovation Centre Network), Expertise France, Telefónica Open Innovation (Wayra Hispam), Caribbean Export Development Agency, Octantis (TECNALIA Group), and IBD Lab, working across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean to connect corporate digital challenges with startup and SME solutions and accelerate partnerships towards market deployment and investment readiness.

To learn more about this partnership and explore other successful collaborations supported by the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, visit https://eulacdigitalaccelerator.com/success-stories/

In the heart of Barbados, Ingrid Brathwaite, the visionary behind Superb Blend, has built a thriving agro-processing business that embodies innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth. With a commitment to producing high-quality, locally sourced products, Superb Blend has evolved from a small-scale enterprise into a competitive player in regional and international markets. Through strategic partnerships and leveraging support from the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), with funding from the European Union under the Regional Private Sector Development Programme, Ingrid has successfully expanded her business footprint, proving that Caribbean entrepreneurs can excel on the global stage.

Harnessing Opportunities for Growth

Superb Blend’s growth trajectory has been fuelled by its active participation in various Caribbean Export-led initiatives, supported by the European Union’s Regional Private Sector Development Programme, which provided crucial exposure, training, and funding. Over the past five years, Ingrid has engaged in multiple interventions designed to enhance business acumen, refine product offerings, and connect with global buyers.

One of the most significant milestones was Superb Blend’s participation in international trade shows, such as SIAL Paris (2022, 2024) and the Specialty Fine Foods Show in London (2022). These platforms allowed the company to showcase its premium agro-processed products, establish key partnerships, and gain insights into emerging consumer trends. Additionally, the Absolutely Caribbean Virtual Tradeshow (2020) provided a digital avenue for Ingrid to engage with international buyers during the pandemic, ensuring business continuity despite global disruptions.

Capacity Building and Market Readiness

Beyond trade show participation, Ingrid has prioritized enhancing her business skills and market readiness through targeted workshops implemented by Caribbean Export and financed by the European Union’s Regional Private Sector Development Programme. . The ProNET workshops on Product Development and Export Marketing (2023) equipped her with the knowledge to refine her offerings and develop strategies for penetrating new markets. Similarly, the EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement) workshops (2019, 2024) provided invaluable insights into leveraging trade agreements to expand exports, particularly to the European Union.

Financial Support and Business Expansion

Ingrid’s dedication to growth was further supported by Caribbean Export’s Direct Support Grants Scheme (2021) and funded by the European Union, which provided financial assistance to improve production capacity and enhance branding. This funding enabled Superb Blend to invest in better packaging, modernized equipment, and expanded distribution channels, strengthening the brand’s market presence.

A Testament to Caribbean Entrepreneurship

Today, Superb Blend stands as a testament to the power of strategic support and entrepreneurial determination. With a workforce of approximately 30 employees, the company continues to contribute to the Barbadian economy while expanding its reach beyond the Caribbean. Ingrid’s story exemplifies how leveraging regional support mechanisms can lead to transformative business success.

After showcasing at SIAL Paris 2024, Ingrid remains committed to scaling Superb Blend’s operations and reinforcing the Caribbean’s reputation for excellence in agro-processing. Building on this strong foundation, with a global mindset and unwavering resilience, Superb Blend is poised for even greater achievements in the years to come.

Trade is no longer business as usual. As old economic alliances fray and new global power centers emerge, the Caribbean faces a choice: remain a passive observer of the shifting tides—or seize the moment to chart its own future. At the Caribbean Investment Forum in Montego Bay, leaders and international partners came together with a shared urgency to answer a fundamental question: what does it take to future-proof Caribbean trade and investment in a world where uncertainty has become the norm?

What emerged from the high-level roundtable, “The New Face of Trade: Future-Proofing Investment and Innovation in the Caribbean,” was not just a conversation about challenges but a bold reimagining of possibilities. The tone was clear: the region cannot wait for others to define its fate. It must set its own terms of trade, forge new alliances, and build resilience from within.

A Call for Regional Unity and Sovereignty

Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas of St. Kitts & Nevis underscored the delicate balance between sovereignty and regional cooperation. “What is critical,” he noted, “is establishing a regional FDI framework that respects sovereignty while attracting investment in non-traditional sectors.” With discoveries like geothermal energy in Nevis, he illustrated how sustainable innovations have the potential to transition economies away from the vulnerabilities to external shocks.

Hon. Michael B. Halkitis of The Bahamas echoed this, advocating for Caribbean nations to “come together to achieve the scale needed to address economic injustices in trade,” including shipping and logistics costs. He reminded participants that crises, while disruptive, are also opportunities for reinvention.  As he succinctly put it: “Let’s not waste a good crisis.”

Harnessing Private Sector and Policy Synergy

Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill of Jamaica pushed for a more functional Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), urging the private sector to collaborate with governments to build intra-regional partnerships. This, he argued, is vital for strengthening supply chains and creating an environment where trade “works for everyone.”

The European Union’s Eja Askola reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to fair, reliable partnerships with the Caribbean. She highlighted the need for harmonized regulatory frameworks and political will to step up regional value chains and integration—an essential factor for attracting sustainable foreign direct investment.

Blueprint for Trade Resilience

In her unmistakenly visionary voice Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre laid out a pragmatic yet ambitious blueprint for “trade resilience in a fragmenting world”—one that rejects outdated dependency models and embraces strategic re-globalization. Her five-pillar framework challenges the Caribbean to move beyond tourism, diversify its economy through value-added industries like tech-enabled agriculture, invest aggressively in renewable energy, empower SMEs (especially women-led enterprises), embrace digital trade infrastructure, and tackle high logistics costs that stifle regional competitiveness.

Her five-pillar approach included:

1. Strategic Re-globalization: Moving beyond tourism to diversify economies through value-added agriculture, sustainable fishing, and innovative industries.
2. Climate Resilience: Accelerating the green transition with investments in renewable energy and infrastructure while addressing sovereign debt challenges.
3. Empowering SMEs: Enhancing access to finance and markets, particularly for women-led businesses, to strengthen regional competitiveness.
4. Digital Transformation: Building a robust digital trade infrastructure to connect businesses, reduce transaction costs, and unlock new market opportunities.
5. Logistics and Transportation Investment: Tackling high regional transport costs to improve export competitiveness and attract investors.

Coke-Hamilton stressed that the Caribbean must “set our own terms of trade, rather than abiding by the terms set by others,” positioning the region as a proactive force in the evolving global trade order.

Forging South-South Alliances

One of the most compelling insights from the session was the untapped potential of south-south cooperation. With initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area gaining traction, trade between the Caribbean and Africa could reach $2.1 billion within five years if barriers are removed. By fostering stronger ties with Africa and Asia, the region can reduce overdependence on traditional Western markets, opening new avenues for growth and innovation.

The Path Forward

The consensus from this energetic session was clear: the Caribbean’s resilience hinges on bold reforms, regional solidarity, and a decisive shift toward sustainability and digital innovation.

Building a unified foreign direct investment strategy, embracing renewable energy, and leveraging digital tools will not only “future-proof” the region but also elevate its standing in the global economy. As leaders at the forum expressed, the Caribbean must seize this moment to craft a trade and investment ecosystem that is inclusive, resilient, and strategically positioned for long-term prosperity.

Johannesburg, South Africa – July 22–24, 2025 

Caribbean Export was honoured to participate in the inaugural ITC SME Ministerial Meeting and Global TPO Leadership Dialogue, hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa, by the International Trade Centre (ITC), in collaboration with the AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank. 

Our Executive Director, Dr Damie Sinanan joined trade promotion leaders and ministers from across the globe for three days of dynamic discussions aimed at enhancing the role of SMEs in intra-African trade. This historic gathering placed special emphasis on shaping recommendations for Ministers responsible for SME development — ensuring that the voices and realities of small businesses are embedded in regional integration strategies. 

A key highlight of the visit was our Executive Director’s keynote intervention at the High-Level Awareness Raising Roundtable session on ‘Trade Promotion Organizations – Gateways to Facilitating Private Sector Gains from the AfCFTA’. This session explored the transformative role of Trade Promotion Organisations (TPOs) as drivers of SME competitiveness and integration into Africa’s continental market. 

In an engaging discussion alongside Alberto Silini of Switzerland Global Enterprise, the conversation centred on regional partnerships, knowledge sharing, and the practical steps needed to empower SMEs to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The forum also underscored the importance of TPOs as enablers—bridging policy with private sector action and driving investment across borders. 

We extend our congratulations to the ITC team, including ITC’s Executive Director – Pamela Coke-Hamilton, and all organising partners for championing this pioneering initiative. By enabling a direct interface between TPOs, Ministers, and SMEs, the meeting charted a forward-looking path for stronger economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean. 

As we look ahead to the Caribbean Investment Forum, we are especially excited to continue these conversations and welcome the insight of Pamela Coke-Hamilton, for the ‘Keynote – Trade Resilience in a Fragmenting World: A Blueprint for the Caribbean’ whose leadership remains instrumental in shaping SME-led development globally.