Consultancy: Technical Support for Investment Conversion Related to the Caribbean Investment Forum

Relevant Background

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) in collaboration with the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA), the Caribbean Development Bank along with other stakeholders, hosted the inaugural Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) in Trinidad and Tobago on 8-11 November 2022. The purpose of the CIF was to serve as an investment attraction platform, providing opportunities for delegates to make contacts, forge partnerships, deepen relationships and cooperate on various projects. The conference positioned the Caribbean as a prime destination for investment in areas leading to transformation and positive economic impact in the region. The CIF focused on four key sectors, namely, agriculture technology, green energy, transport and logistics and Information Communications Technology and digital business. A total of 535 persons from 46 countries representing 7 continents and regions attended the conference over the three days. A total of 452 persons, including 39 investors registered to participate in Business -to-Business meetings. From this number, 202 persons attended. Over the three days, 268 meetings were facilitated. A total of 23 projects were presented during the sessions that were well attended by qualified investors. 85% of survey respondents who attended the country pitches indicated that the sessions were useful in assisting them to discover new investment opportunities.

The hosting of the Forum aims to achieve the following goals:

  • Generate investment into priority sectors in the Caribbean;
  • Build partnerships with key business entities, that can be sustained over time;
  • Promote the Caribbean as a place for investment;
  • Showcase opportunities/areas for investment;
  • Showcase successful investment in the Caribbean;
  • Engage potential investors and financing institutions in discussing their interest and requirements for investing in the opportunities;
  • Pitch specific ventures to specific investors;
  • Raise the Caribbean’s profile in the global business community through the creation of links with media, journals, newsletters and key influencers and networks in that community ;
  • Work towards attaining the sustainable development goals focused on eliminating poverty, hunger and increasing good health and well-being, decent work, and economic growth; and
  • Forging strategic partnerships within the investment community.

The agency is now focused on working with regional Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) to follow up on the leads acquired as well as the convening of the second Caribbean Investment Forum scheduled for October 23-25, 2023, at the Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas.

Objective

The general objective of this assignment is the development of packaged investment projects for the Investment Promotion Agencies of the beneficiary countries in the target sectors of renewable energy, agri-business and technology, transport and logistics and ICT/Digitalization of Business. Furthermore, the provision of investment facilitation support towards presenting the projects to qualified leads from the CIF in Trinidad and Tobago as well as the upcoming CIF 2023.

Required Documentation

The Applicant must submit technical and financial proposals in USD, together with the completed Applicant Declaration Form and the required forms noted in the RFP, to Ms. Tonya Cummins, Advisor- Investment Promotion at tcummins@carib-export.com with a copy to Dr. Damie Sinanan, Manager, Competitiveness and Export Promotion at dsinanan@carib-export.com no later than 4:30 pm AST on July 14, 2023.