BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says it will establish a groundbreaking ”Impact Room” to demonstrate how millions of dollars invested are transforming lives and businesses across the Caribbean region.
It said that the “Impact Room” will be established in the Bahamas at the Bank’s 56th annual meeting of the Bank’s board of directors and that the results of five major CDB initiatives will be highlighted during the private sector showcase, which takes place June 3 and 4.
The Impact Room aims to translate the Bank’s private-sector mandate into a dynamic, visible, engagement-driven experience for Governors, investors, development partners, and regional stakeholders, under the theme “Strategic Investment, Enduring Transformation.”
Over two days, it will showcase the results of five key private sector initiatives that illustrate impact, resilience, inclusive growth, and sustainable development across the Caribbean: the Bank’s Lending and Investment, the Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund, SheTrades Caribbean, the EU Standby Facility, and the Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services.
The initiative is spearheaded by the CDB’s Private Sector Development Division, whose leader, Lisa Arding, said the Caribbean stands at a pivotal juncture and “we must harness our collective strengths to build resilient economies and societies that can withstand climate volatility, geopolitical shifts, and technological disruption.
At CDB, we are committed to delivering transformative solutions that improve lives, expand opportunities for all, and unlock private capital for sustainable development.
Harding said that the Impact Room represents a significant step forward in how CDB engages with its shareholders and partners.
We are creating a meaningful, interactive space where stakeholders and investors can directly see the impact of our work, understand our priorities, and identify clear pathways for collaboration. The Impact Room will deliver immediate insight into what we finance, how our support mechanisms operate, the enterprises we have helped advance, and the exciting pipeline of opportunities that exist.”
The initiative emphasizes action on climate resilience, infrastructure development, education, technology, housing, renewable energy, agriculture, cultural and creative industries, private sector mobilization, the empowerment of vulnerable groups, including women and youth, and regional integration to position Caribbean economies for a more secure and prosperous future.
The Impact Room will feature five partners whose work aligns with private sector development, capital mobilization, infrastructure financing, enterprise growth, or ecosystem strengthening, namely: Compete Caribbean, Small Business Development Center Bahamas, Bahamas Development Bank, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, and the Bahamas Trade Commission.
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