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Strong El Niño ahead, UN weather agency warns

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Strong El Niño ahead, UN weather agency warns

NEW YORK, USA – As much of the world faces grapples with above normal temperatures and major rainfall changes, the UN Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on Friday that El Niño, a powerful climate pattern shaping global weather, will intensify starting next month.

Why it matters

  • A strong El Niño is developing and expected to strengthen during August through October, bringing powerful weather events around the world, according to WMO’s latest monthly global seasonal climate update;
  • Above-normal temperatures expected worldwide;
  • Wetter conditions expected in some regions while drought risk increases in others;
  • Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures projected to remain warmer than average;
  • Forecasts provide a window for early action and support decision-making.

Scorching heat domes, record hot seas

Multi-model forecasts indicate expected anomalies related to seasonal-average sea-surface temperature to exceed 2.9°C in key monitoring regions, according to WMO.

“El Niño is strengthening, adding fuel to a planet already on fire with scorching heat domes, apocalyptic wildfires and record hot seas,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.

“El Niño is not just on our doorstep; it is inside the house and turning up the heat, and this is only a warm-up act.”

Flames fanned by fossil fuels

He said fossil fuels are “fanning the flames of this crisis”, and expansion must stop. “More coal, oil and gas will lead to a more combustible future,” he warned.

“Unless we act to protect people and tackle the root cause of the crisis, the dangers will become deadlier still. The warm-up act is over. We cannot afford to wait for the main event.”

Mobilising to save lives

The WMO is stepping up coordination, climate information services and early warning to help those affected prepare for potential impacts, including governments, humanitarian agencies, such climate-sensitive sectors as agriculture and health as well as vulnerable communities.

“El Niño is one of the most closely monitored climate phenomena in the world, but forecasts in themselves do not prevent hazards, people do,” said WMO secretary-general Celeste Saulo.

She said this El Niño is developing against the backdrop of unprecedented ocean heat and rising temperatures, but governments and communities have a window of opportunity to anticipate risks and act before impacts unfold.

“The decisions we make today will shape the impacts we experience tomorrow,” she said, adding that WMO and its members are committed to ensuring that credible and relevant climate information reaches those that need it most.

Trinidad and Tobago becomes first Caribbean country to advance a national roadmap for communicable disease elimination

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Trinidad and Tobago becomes first Caribbean country to advance a national roadmap for communicable disease elimination

WASHINGTON, USA, (PAHO) – Trinidad and Tobago has become the first country in the Caribbean to begin developing a national roadmap to accelerate the elimination of communicable diseases, supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen health systems, protect public health, and advance toward the elimination of more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions.

Developed with technical support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the roadmap brings together government leaders, health professionals, technical experts and development partners around a shared strategy to sustain past achievements while accelerating progress against diseases that continue to affect the population, including HIV, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, leprosy and cervical cancer.

“The development of this national road map provides us with an opportunity to critically examine where we are, identify gaps, strengthen existing systems and determine the actions required to accelerate progress. This process will allow us to better understand our current capacities address bottlenecks and define strategic priorities that align with international best practices while responding to the unique needs of Trinidad and Tobago,” said Dr Lackram Bodoe, minister of health, Trinidad and Tobago.

The roadmap is part of PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative, which aims to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030. Rather than addressing diseases individually, the Initiative promotes an integrated approach by strengthening health systems, improving health information and surveillance systems and laboratory capacity, expanding access to quality health services, addressing social and environmental determinants of health, and reinforcing governance and sustainable financing.

Trinidad and Tobago enters this new phase from a position of strength. The country has maintained its malaria-free status since 1965 and has also sustained the elimination of poliomyelitis, measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, neonatal tetanus and lymphatic filariasis through strong immunisation programs, robust surveillance systems and sustained public health leadership.

The new roadmap seeks to build on these achievements by strengthening synergies across disease programs, integrating surveillance and laboratory systems, improving case detection and management, and identifying shared solutions to accelerate progress toward multiple elimination targets simultaneously.

“Trinidad and Tobago is building on its public health achievements and choosing to move forward with an integrated vision for the future,” said Dr Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, assistant director of PAHO. “This roadmap reflects a national commitment to accelerate disease elimination through stronger health systems, coordinated action and sustained partnerships. PAHO is proud to support the country in translating that commitment into lasting public health impact.”

The key components of the roadmap were developed during a two-day high-level workshop convened by the ministry of health with support from PAHO. The workshop brought together representatives from the ministry of health, regional health authorities, technical experts, academia, international partners, and other stakeholders to identify priority diseases for elimination, define timelines for achieving additional elimination milestones, analyze barriers slowing progress, and agree on practical interventions to overcome these challenges.

These actions will focus on four strategic areas: integrated service delivery, stronger surveillance and health information systems, addressing the social and environmental determinants of health, and improving governance and sustainable financing.

The initiative also comes at a critical time for the region. Recent measles outbreaks have highlighted the need to sustain high vaccination coverage, strong laboratory networks and rapid response capacities to protect the Americas’ hard-won disease elimination achievements.

“Trinidad and Tobago has demonstrated leadership in communicable disease elimination for decades,” said Dr Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, PAHO/WHO representative for Trinidad and Tobago. “By becoming the first Caribbean country to develop a national disease elimination roadmap, the country is once again leading by example. This roadmap provides a clear, integrated and evidence-based framework that will help translate today’s commitments into measurable improvements in people’s health.”

PAHO will continue supporting the implementation of the roadmap through technical cooperation focused on strengthening surveillance and laboratory systems, enhancing clinical capacity, developing national guidelines and facilitating access to regional expertise and best practices.

IMF – Guyana 2026 Article IV Mission

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IMF – Guyana 2026 Article IV Mission

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Lusine Lusinyan, held discussions virtually and in Georgetown for the 2026 Article IV Consultation during July 20–31, 2026. The team met with finance minister Dr Ashni Singh, Central Bank Governor Dr Gobind Ganga, minister of parliamentary affairs and governance Gail Teixeira, attorney-general and ninister of legal affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall, and other senior officials, representatives from the private sector, banks, labor unions, and other stakeholders.

At the conclusion of the visit, Lusinyan issued the following statement:

Strong growth

Guyana’s economy continues to expand at a very rapid pace, supported by robust oil and non-oil activity. Real GDP grew by over 19 percent in 2025, following average growth of nearly 40 percent during 2023–24. Oil production exceeded expectations and surpassed 900,000 barrels per day by the end of 2025—an impressive 35 percent increase over one year, with similar volumes recorded in the first half of 2026. Encouragingly, broad-based growth in the non-oil economy continued at about 14 percent, with construction remaining the largest driver, and agriculture, mining, and manufacturing also contributing meaningfully. These trends broadly continued in the first half of 2026 though some sectors were affected by heavy rainfall. Robust growth was also reflected in a stronger labor market, with unemployment down at 6.2 percent by the end of 2025. Average inflation was contained to 3.3 percent in 2025 but edged up by mid-2026, reflecting higher global energy and food prices.

The fiscal and external positions improved in 2025, and credit growth remained strong. The overall fiscal deficit narrowed by nearly two percentage points to 5.5 percent of GDP in 2025. Large public investment continued, and oil revenue more than offset the decline in non-oil revenue. The non-oil primary deficit amounted to one-third of non-oil GDP. Public sector credit helped finance the fiscal deficit, and private credit supported economic activity, especially through household credit and business lending across the real sector. Strong foreign exchange (FX) demand, especially from private investment with heavy import content, kept the FX market tight. At the same time, rising oil production and a decline in oil-related service imports strengthened the external position, which is assessed to be broadly in line with the level implied by fundamentals and desirable policies in 2025.

Prudent macroeconomic policies continue to support growth. Building on the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, the government’s five-year development plan maintains a welcome focus on economic diversification, resilience, and sustainability. Continued accumulation of oil revenue in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) is helping build external and fiscal buffers, while large investments in physical and human capital are supporting non-oil growth and improving outcomes, especially in health and education. Tight monetary conditions have helped maintain price and exchange rate stability, while fiscal measures have cushioned near-term price pressures. These policies, together with continued strengthening of governance frameworks, have helped sustain macroeconomic stability, support growth, and advance national development priorities. Available indicators do not point to clear signs of overheating or resource-driven competitiveness pressures. But strong wage growth and wage-based real exchange rate indicators warrant close monitoring.

Outlook and risks

The economic outlook remains highly favourable. Oil production is expected to continue expanding, and the non-oil economy is projected to grow by about 7 percent on average over the next five years as the government continues its ambitious plans to address infrastructure and developmental needs. The external position is expected to remain strong over the medium term, supported by higher oil production as new fields come onstream and existing projects mature. High oil prices strengthen the outlook for export earnings and the fiscal position going forward. As oil operators complete cost recovery, a larger share of oil revenues will accrue to Guyana through higher NRF inflows.

Risks around the near-term outlook are broadly balanced in the context of elevated global uncertainty. On the upside, further oil discoveries would continue to improve growth prospects, and construction growth and strong public investment may support higher-than-expected short-term non-oil growth. Higher oil prices would further improve fiscal and external accounts but could also intensify overheating pressures, leading to real exchange rate appreciation beyond the level consistent with a balanced expansion of the economy, with oil price volatility adding to fiscal risks. Adverse climate shocks may also negatively impact the economy.

Fiscal policy

Staff commends the authorities for sustained prudent fiscal policies. The fiscal deficit is expected to widen somewhat in 2026 due to social transfers and electricity subsidies but improve in 2027 given the one-year lag in the NRF withdrawal rule. If oil prices remain persistently high, a larger share of additional oil revenue should be saved, in line with the economy’s absorptive capacity. Public spending should continue to prioritise productivity-enhancing projects and support the most vulnerable. Policy efforts should remain focused on strengthening monitoring of spending outcomes and oversight of public enterprises. Staff urged that consideration be given to improving the targeting of subsidies. Over time, broad price-mitigating measures should be gradually phased out, as they can weaken price signals. The authorities’ prudent borrowing strategy continues to support debt sustainability, with the risk of debt distress assessed as low, as in the previous assessment.

Reflecting strong commitment to fiscal responsibility, policies have supported rapid accumulation of substantial NRF balances and one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios in the hemisphere. The budget documents already provide detailed medium-term projections, performance indicators, and macroeconomic assumptions, offering a robust foundation for further developing medium- and long-term fiscal guideposts as the economy continues to transform. To help guide the balance between spending now and the needs of future generations, the non-oil primary balance could serve as the main operational target, strengthening gradually over the next decade to a level consistent with a chosen long-run anchor. During the transition period, public spending should continue to be aligned with peer-country levels of Sustainable Development Goal-related expenditure—taking into account the higher cost of public service delivery in a low population density country such as Guyana. Staff will continue to engage with the authorities on how best to calibrate medium- and long-term fiscal guideposts to Guyana’s development needs and absorptive capacity.

Monetary and exchange rate policy

Monetary policy should remain consistent with the stabilised exchange rate arrangement and price stability. Policy continues to operate within a reserve money targeting regime, with liquidity management—primarily through FX operations—helping moderate base money growth. Broad money growth should remain broadly aligned with nominal non-oil GDP, with liquidity managed through FX operations, as needed, in addition to greater use of treasury bills and reserve requirements. Additional tightening would be warranted if demand pressures intensify, credit accelerates, or exchange rate pressures emerge.

Over time, as Guyana’s economy expands and diversifies, incomes rise, and FX demand persists, the monetary framework should be strengthened by activating the interest rate channel, deepening financial markets, improving macroprudential tools, and gradually scaling back broad price-mitigating measures. These steps would enhance monetary transmission and further support macroeconomic stability. The current stabilized exchange rate regime remains appropriate, and over the medium term, as policy frameworks mature and the economy diversifies further, consideration could be given to allowing greater exchange rate flexibility to facilitate macroeconomic adjustment and enhance resilience to shocks.

Financial stability

The banking sector remains well capitalised, with robust liquidity buffers and improving asset quality. Stress tests continue to suggest that banks remain resilient under reasonable adverse scenarios. Staff welcomes the authorities’ continued vigilance in safeguarding financial stability, including concentration risks. Developing a comprehensive macroprudential framework, including through technical assistance, would further help safeguard financial stability, and enhance policy formulation and implementation. Rapid growth in the housing market, largely supported by public housing investment, warrants continued close monitoring, and developing a real estate price index would strengthen the financial stability toolkit. Data collection on corporate and household balance sheets would further support risk monitoring and banking supervision, and cybersecurity standards should be further enhanced as digitalisation of services expands.

Governance

Staff welcomes ongoing efforts to further enhance public sector transparency and service delivery, supported by digitalisation. The authorities are advancing digital solutions across key public services, including interoperability of management information systems. Timely audits of available financial accounts continue, supported also by efforts to strengthen internal audit practices. Staff acknowledges the authorities’ efforts to resolve outstanding cost-oil audits, including through arbitration. Given their fiscal and governance implications, resolving these audits in a timely manner remains important. Improving timeliness of financial accounts of public enterprises and agencies also remains a priority. The authorities are encouraged to continue strengthening audit capacity, especially in oil and gas sector. As public expenditure expands rapidly, ongoing efforts to further strengthen public procurement practices and ensure consistent compliance with the procurement framework will help safeguard spending quality, supported by the new centralised digital platform.

Staff welcomes the authorities’ strong commitment to strengthening AML/CFT and anti-corruption frameworks. The authorities are pursuing a comprehensive approach to AML/CFT, including steps to address vulnerabilities identified in Guyana’s 2024 Mutual Evaluation Report by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force and preparing new AML legislation along with modernising the relevant legislative frameworks. Staff commends the authorities’ efforts to strengthen oversight and transparency of the gold mining sector, with the planned risk assessment of extractive industries expected to contribute to identifying remaining gaps and informing further reforms. While some beneficial ownership information is already publicly available, facilitating public access and enhancing monitoring and enforcement of reporting requirements would further support transparency. Continued strengthening of the Integrity Commission, including compliance with and enforcement of asset declaration requirements, will also reinforce the broader anti-corruption framework.

Climate, energy, and diversification

Guyana remains at the forefront of market-based forest conservation while advancing its transition to a cleaner and more cost-effective energy mix. Staff welcomes the authorities’ strong commitment to strengthening resilience to climate-related risks and protecting biodiversity. Efforts to bolster resilience to natural disasters are advancing through investments in sea defenses and drainage infrastructure alongside investments in more climate-resilient agriculture. The Gas-to-Energy project is expected to significantly reduce reliance on fuel-based power generation by 2027, with limited use subsequently as demand expands, lowering energy costs and supporting long-term competitiveness.

Efforts to strengthen human capital, expand job opportunities, and enhance food security remain central to the authorities’ broader diversification strategy. The Local Content framework continues to support private sector development, while higher personal income tax thresholds are helping to encourage labor force participation. Reforms to address labor shortages should continue, including to strengthen skills and better align the workforce with the needs of a rapidly expanding economy. Ongoing initiatives to boost agricultural production and reduce regional food import dependence will support export diversification and enhance food security.

Economic statistics

Staff welcomes the authorities’ continued efforts to strengthen official statistics to better reflect the economy’s transformation. These efforts include enhancing external and real sector statistics, including with technical assistance, as well as resuming regular labor force surveys and publishing preliminary census results. While progress continues in these areas, advancing work on updating national accounts, price, and external sector statistics remains a key priority. Together with maintaining regular updates to the labor force survey and the planned rollout of a new household budget survey, these efforts are important to strengthen the information base for policymaking and assess the impact of policies on economic growth and living standards.

University of Guyana announces transitional management arrangements following completion of vice-chancellor’s term

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University of Guyana announces transitional management arrangements following completion of vice-chancellor’s term

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The University of Guyana today announced that the contractual term of Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin as Vice-Chancellor concluded on 31 July 2026, bringing to a close seven years of service as the University’s principal academic and administrative officer.

On behalf of the University Council, Chancellor and Chair of Council, Sir Ronald Sanders, expressed appreciation to Professor Mohamed-Martin for her service and commitment to the University during her tenure. “The University Council thanks Professor Mohamed-Martin for her seven years of stewardship of the University of Guyana and wishes her every success in her future endeavours,” Sir Ronald said.

To ensure continuity of leadership and the uninterrupted conduct of the University’s academic, administrative and financial affairs, the University Council has established a Transitional Management Team to oversee the day-to-day operations of the University until a new vice-chancellor is appointed.

The Transitional Management Team will be chaired by Professor Stafford Griffith, Professor at the University of Guyana and Professor Emeritus of the University of the West Indies. Professor Griffith has had a distinguished career in higher education across the Caribbean, having served in a number of senior leadership positions at The University of the West Indies, including Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Five Islands Campus, regional director of the office for online learning, director of the school of education, and deputy dean of the Mona Campus. He has also held senior regional appointments with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and has served on numerous national and regional commissions, committees and boards.

Joining him on the Transitional Management Team is Dr Diana Devika Gobin, deputy vice-chancellor (finance and administration) of the University of Guyana. Dr Gobin has more than 18 years of experience in higher education and has served in a range of academic and administrative leadership positions, including assistant dean of the faculty of social sciences.

She has played a significant role in the University’s financial administration, academic development and institutional governance, and holds a doctor of education in leadership and innovation, an international MBA in innovation and entrepreneurship, and a Bachelor of social science in management.

The third member of the Transitional Management Team will be the incoming chair of the Committee of Deans, who is expected to be elected next week.

The Transitional Management Team will manage the University’s day-to-day affairs under the oversight of the Chancellor and the University Council until the appointment of a new vice-chancellor.

The search for the University’s next vice-chancellor is continuing. Following a comprehensive and rigorous international search process, four candidates have been shortlisted and are proceeding through the final stages of consideration by the University Council.

Sir Ronald Sanders said: “The Council is committed to ensuring a smooth and orderly transition in the leadership of the University while maintaining continuity in its academic mission, governance and administration. I have every confidence that Professor Griffith, Dr Gobin and the incoming chair of the Committee of Deans will provide the steady and experienced leadership necessary during this interim period. At the same time, the Council remains fully engaged in completing the search for the University’s next vice-chancellor through a rigorous and transparent process.”

St Lucia’s PM Pierre dismisses Chastanet’s letter: ‘Full of inaccuracies, laced with venom, bad faith’

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St Lucia’s PM Pierre dismisses Chastanet’s letter: ‘Full of inaccuracies, laced with venom, bad faith’

By Caribbean News Global

CASTRIES, St Lucia – Allen Chastanet, Leader of the Opposition (LOO) letter dated July 28, 2026, to Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J Pierre and copied extensively to director of audit; president of the Caribbean Development Bank,(CDB); foreign embassies and Representatives of Civil Society Organisations, about the governance and financial management of the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF), including the independence and oversight of SSDF audit, raises eyebrowns on the future engagement of international benefactors, and their commitment to the development of Saint Lucia.

Prime Minister Pierre’s sharp retort

The matter was quickly responded to by Prime Minister Pierre in his letter of July 30, 2026, stating: “ As usual, your letter is full of inaccuracies and laced with venom and bad faith,” citing counterarguments.

The LOO claims

“This is my fourth letter on these matters, and to date none have been acknowledged and/or replied to by the director of finance.

“Since my last correspondence, the country has been confronted with the “sex for cheques” scandal, in which publicly available information suggests that a minister of government had access to signed SSDF cheques and personally delivered them to two individuals,” the LOO continued.

“These developments directly reinforce the unresolved concerns I previously raised regarding the transfer and use of public funds from the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) via the Economic Fund, including the legal authority for such transfers and their intended purpose.”

The LOO acknowledged

“I have been informed that an audit of the SSDF is currently under way.”

Caribbean News Global (CNG) publication July 27, 2026 stated: “… the government is proceeding to action a full audit of the SSDF and to get a complete understanding of what transpired.”

The LOO’s advice?

“ … The seriousness of these recent allegations requires that the process be demonstrably independent, impartial, and beyond reproach. Public confidence is as important as the audit itself.”

“… Neither the SSDF board, its members, nor its senior management should be involved in appointing auditors or determining the terms of reference, as this would create a clear perception of conflict where those potentially subject to scrutiny are directing the process.”

“Moreover, given the gravity of the matter, consideration should also be given to the appointment of an independent Commission of Inquiry. At minimum, the audit should be commissioned and supervised independently by the director of audit, or under a framework agreed with the CDB or another suitably independent body.”

Allen Chastanet, Leader of the Opposition (LOO)

The LOO wishes …

“The director of finance, should recuse yourself from all involvement in selecting auditors, approving terms of reference, supervising the audit, or participating in any decisions relating to its conduct or findings.”

Restoring public confidence

“These issues concern the stewardship of public funds, legal compliance, and the integrity of public institutions, and must be treated with the requisite urgency and importance. It is therefore essential that the process adopted be transparent, independent, and capable of restoring public confidence,” the LOO, said.

In closing, the LOO said that he looked forward to an early response to his letter, copied to the director of audit; president, Caribbean Development Bank; ambassador, United States Embassy, Bridgetown, Barbados; ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan); ambassador, French Embassy and Representatives of Civil Society Organisations.

Per the stamped date of receipt of the LOO’s letter, July 30, 2026, his wishes were granted. Prime Minister Pierre, said:

“ The matter referred to are the complaints of one individual and currently being investigated by the police.”

“Audits are the responsbility of Management of Organisations. By their very nature, auditors are independent and rely on professional standards. Boards are involved when management letters and sign-off on financial statements and reports are required.”

Refutation

Citing counterarguments alluded to earlier, Prime Minister Pierre said to the Leader of the Opposition (LOO), Chastanet:

“Your assertions, as usual, continue to impugn the character of individuals while you dream with the hope of destroying Saint Lucia so you can rule the ashes.”

“By your letter you have insulted the entire fraternity of Chartered and Certified Auditors and Accountants. I hope they remember,” said Prime Minister Pierre.

First half of 2026 delivers broad economic benefits for Cayman Islands

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First half of 2026 delivers broad economic benefits for Cayman Islands

By CIDOT Public Relations

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands welcomed 40,460 stayover visitors in June 2026, recording its eighth consecutive month of year-over-year stayover growth. This was a 6.9 percent increase compared with June 2025, with growth led by the United States and strongly supported by increased visitation from Canada and Europe.

June’s performance solidified a record first half of 2026 for the destination, with stayover arrivals between January and June reaching 288,694, an increase of 11.3 percent from the same period in 2025.

Cruise arrivals show year on year increase

The destination also welcomed 55,639 cruise passengers in June, an increase of 15.5 percent compared with June 2025.

Total visitation for June, including both stayover and cruise passengers, was 96,099 up 11.7 percent year over year.

The first half of 2026 saw the destination welcome 681,391 cruise passengers, an increase of 6.8% compared to the same period in 2025. This increase underscored the destination’s robust growth trajectory across every segment of tourism industry.

“Tourism is one of the strongest engines of our national economy, and a record first half of the year means that engine is delivering for Caymanians,” said Gary Rutty, deputy premier and minister for tourism and trade development. “Growth of this type extends well beyond the arrivals hall. It is shown in the wages of our hospitality workers, in the order books of our restaurants, taxi operators, water sports businesses and small suppliers, and in the confidence of those choosing to invest in our tourism product. Eight consecutive months of stayover growth, alongside sustained cruise arrivals, gives our people and our businesses something they can plan around. The Cayman Islands Government remains committed to ensuring that this growth continues to create real, lasting opportunity across all three Islands.”

Canada continues to lead market growth

Canada was the destination’s fastest-growing market in June recording its strongest June on record with arrivals reaching 1,679, an increase of 44.1 percent compared with June 2025. Arrivals from Canada for the first half of the year reached a record 26,674, up 48.9 percent compared to the same period in 2025.

Canada’s share of total year-to-date stayover visitation has grown to 9.2 percent, up from 6.9 percent in 2025. This increase has moved Canada from a secondary market for the destination to a new primary market and is a testament to the results of the Cayman Islands department of tourism’s business development strategy focused on diversifying the destination’s source markets.

European market growth fueled by trade partnerships

European markets also showed solid gains in June, reflecting the continued strength of the destination’s strategic partnerships with travel trade in the UK, Ireland, and European markets.

Visitors from the UK and Ireland increased by 4.1 percent, while Continental Europe recorded the strongest increase at 73.9 percent, led by growth from France, Germany, and Spain. Arrivals from UK & Ireland for the first half of the year rose by 8.0 percent and arrivals from Continental Europe increased by 22.9 percent.

LATAM shows strong year-over-year growth

Latin America saw a modest dip of 4.8 percent in June, however, the market’s overall performance for the first half of the year showed a more positive outlook with arrivals up 10.8 percent compared with the same period in 2025. This increase in arrivals is evidence of growing interest among Latin American travellers in the Cayman Islands as an alternative warm-weather destination as a result of the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism’s strategic engagement in the region.

The United States delivers largest number of visitors for June

The United States generated the largest absolute increase of any market in June, adding 2,259 visitors for growth of 6.8 percent compared with June 2025. The largest gains came from the Southern states with an increase of 4.1 percent, driven by visitors from Austin and Miami-Fort Lauderdale.

Increased airlift continues to support visitation growth

June’s visitation was supported by continued strengthening of the destination’s airlift.

Inbound airlift capacity from the United States and Canada, together with British Airways’ London-Grand Cayman service via Nassau, increased by 9.0 percent over the previous year.

The expansion in North America for the first six months of the year was led by increased capacity from Miami, Toronto, Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta, alongside new service from Ottawa, Fort Lauderdale and Austin.

Cayman Airways launched its new service from Austin in June, following the department’s participation in an aviation industry trade show in that city. The new route reflects the Department’s ongoing work to translate trade engagement into new and expanded air service, giving visitors more travel options and supporting sustained demand for the Cayman Islands.

Strong visitation translates into meaningful economic impact

June’s stayover growth translated to strong commercial results for the destination’s accommodations sector.

According to global hotel intelligence firm STR Inc., hotel occupancy reached 61.0 percent in June 2026, an increase of 5.3 percentage points compared with June 2025. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose 6.7percent over June 2025and Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) increased 16.8 percent year over year.

Notably, this growth happened concurrently with an increase in inventory with the opening of ONE GT in May 2026, demonstrating that increased visitor demand is keeping pace with the destination’s growing room supply.

Year-to-date through June, occupancy rose 6.4 percentage points to 73.3 percent compared with the same period in 2025, while ADR increased 6.2 percent and RevPAR rose 16.3 percent.

Hotel revenue for the first half of the year recorded an increase of 17.3 percent when compared to the first six months of 2025 – a clear indication that record stayover visitation is translating directly into stronger earnings for tourism businesses and, in turn, the wider Cayman Islands economy.

“Results like these are never accidental. They are the product of steady, deliberate work by the team at the Department of Tourism and by our partners right across the industry,” said Rosa Harris, director of tourism. “Eight consecutive months of stayover growth reflects the disciplined execution of a clear strategy – diversifying our source markets, securing, and sustaining airlift, deepening our travel trade relationships, and keeping the Cayman Islands visible in the markets that matter most. Canada’s rise from a secondary market to a primary one, and the new Austin service that followed our aviation trade engagement, are examples of that work translating into measurable results.”

Harris continued: “As we move through the summer months, the Department remains focused on strengthening our airlift, deepening our travel trade partnerships in our growing markets like Canada, the UK, Ireland and Europe, and continuing to position the Cayman Islands as a preferred year-round destination.”

To learn more about how tourism drives economic growth across the Cayman Islands, the public is encouraged to follow the Chamber of Commerce’s Tourism Matters series.

Emancipation Day message – ‘Let us build a future worthy of the sacrifices of those who came before us’

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Emancipation Day message – ‘Let us build a future worthy of the sacrifices of those who came before us’
  • Message from Philip J Pierre, chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Saint Lucia

Today, we remember the women, men and children, those whose bodies were enslaved, but whose spirits could never be conquered. We remember those who endured cruelty beyond imagination, yet refused to surrender their dignity, their humanity, or their hope. And because they endured, because they resisted, because they believed, we stand here today as a free people.

That is why Emancipation Day is not simply another date on our calendar. It is a sacred reminder of where we have come from. A reminder of what we have overcome and of what still lies before us. Freedom was never handed to our ancestors. Freedom was demanded.

Freedom was fought for. Freedom was paid for with sacrifice, with courage and with an unbreakable faith. That is why we honour them today. Not only with our words, but with our commitment to build the kind of society they dreamed was possible.

My fellow citizens: The end of slavery was not the end of injustice. Our ancestors walked into freedom without land, without wealth, without compensation, without opportunity. Yet those who benefited from their labour were rewarded. History cannot be changed. But history must be understood. Because only when we understand our past can we fully appreciate our responsibility to shape a better future. That responsibility belongs to every generation. It belongs to us.

Our Caribbean story is unlike any other. It is a story shaped by the dispossession of Indigenous people, the suffering of African enslavement, the experience of indentureship and centuries of colonial rule. But it is also a story of extraordinary resilience. Out of pain our people created beauty. Out of struggle our people created strength. Out of oppression our people created hope.  We built nations. We built communities. We built democracies.

We have created music that moves the world. Literature that enlightens the world.
Culture that transforms and enriches the world. And we must never apologise for who we are.
We are Caribbean people. We are a proud people. We are a resilient people. And have every reason to believe in our future.

My brothers and sisters: The work of emancipation continues. Political freedom alone is not enough. Our people deserve economic freedom. They deserve opportunity. They deserve ownership. They deserve prosperity.

We must build economies where Caribbean people are creating wealth, not merely consuming it. Where our young people see opportunity at home. Where our entrepreneurs can succeed. Where our farmers, fishers and manufacturers are valued. Where hard work is rewarded with dignity.  That is the Caribbean we must build.

Our young people must remain at the centre of everything we do. Every child deserves the chance to dream. Every young person deserves the chance to achieve. Our schools must prepare them to innovate, to lead, to build businesses, to master technology, to transform our societies. We want our young people to fulfil their potential, to pursue lives of purpose and achievement, and to use their talents to strengthen our nation and our Caribbean Community.

My fellow citizens: No nation is truly secure if it cannot feed itself. That is why food security matters.
Every acre cultivated, every farmer supported; every fisher encouraged, every Caribbean product placed on our supermarket shelves brings us one step closer to genuine independence.

The same is true for energy. Our future depends upon affordable, reliable and cleaner sources of energy.  Not only because it protects our environment. But because it strengthens our economy, creates jobs, and lowers the cost of living for our people. These are not simply development goals. They are part of the unfinished journey of emancipation.

There is another part of that journey. The pursuit of reparations for slavery is not about blame, not about revenge. It is about the truth and justice for the human suffering of slavery.

My sisters and brothers: Every generation inherits more than freedom; it inherits a responsibility. Our responsibility is to honour the sacrifices of those who came before us by building a society that is more just, more united and more prosperous than the one they entrusted to us. The true measure of our freedom lies not only in what we remember, but in what we choose to build together. I believe we are equal to that responsibility because I believe in the people of our Caribbean Community.

Let us strive to create a CARICOM Community where emancipation is measured not only by how we celebrate but by how we live. Together, let us continue the work begun by our forefathers; let us strengthen our Caribbean Community; let us build a future worthy of the sacrifices of those who came before us.

We are one Caribbean people. May God bless our Caribbean Community. And may He guide us always as we continue the unfinished journey from emancipation to justice to prosperity and to lasting freedom.

Air Canada achieves IATA CEIV Lithium Batteries Certification

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Air Canada achieves IATA CEIV Lithium Batteries Certification

MONTRÉAL, Canada – Air Canada today announced that the airline has achieved IATA CEIV Lithium Batteries certification for shipments with Air Canada Cargo, further strengthening its specialised cargo capabilities and reinforcing its commitment to safety, compliance and operational excellence.

The certification validates Air Canada’s adherence to globally recognised standards for the safe handling, storage and transportation of lithium battery shipments, a growing segment of the global air cargo market driven by demand from industries including consumer electronics, medical technology, electric vehicles and energy storage.

“Achieving IATA CEIV Lithium Batteries certification is an important milestone for Air Canada Cargo and reflects the strength of our people, processes and operational discipline,” said Janet Wallace, managing director, Cargo Operations and Transformation at Air Canada. “As customers increasingly rely on air cargo to transport complex and highly regulated shipments, this certification gives them added confidence that their lithium battery shipments are handled safely, efficiently and in accordance with rigorous global standards.” 

As part of the certification process, Air Canada completed a comprehensive review of its cargo operating procedures and undertook an independent IATA audit of its documented processes, procedures and operational activities, including an on-site assessment of its Montréal (YUL) cargo facility. Key Air Canada personnel, including Dangerous Goods specialists from warehouse operations and representatives from Cargo Operations and Transformation Management, also completed specialised IATA lithium battery training required for certification in the proper handling of lithium batteries.

This certification applies only to commercial cargo shipments and does not apply to passengers travelling with lithium batteries.

  • Passenger requirements are available here. 

CEIV Lithium Batteries builds on Air Canada’s existing CEIV Pharma and CEIV Live Animals certifications, reinforcing its expertise in handling specialised, sensitive and highly regulated commodities across its global network.

With service to more than 450 destinations worldwide, Air Canada combines broad global reach with internationally recognised safety and quality standards.

New APEC vaccination dashboard reveals adult immunisation gaps across APEC

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New APEC vaccination dashboard reveals adult immunisation gaps across APEC

SINGAPORE – Childhood vaccination rates remain high across much of the Asia-Pacific, but new APEC data shows that coverage drops sharply in adolescence and older age. To help economies better understand and address those gaps, the APEC Health Working Group launched a new interactive online dashboard.

The dashboard allows users to explore immunisation data by economy, indicator and policy area, assess immunisation program strengths, identify policy and financing gaps and learn from peer approaches across the region.

“Member economies need to treat life-course immunisation as an urgent policy priority. This dynamic tool will help economies better assess immunisation program strengths and identify policy and financing gaps across the region,” said Jae Woo Kim, chair of APEC health working group, who oversees this initiative.

The data suggests that the systems supporting high childhood vaccination have yet to translate into consistent protection through adolescence and older age.

Thirteen APEC economies report DTP-containing vaccine coverage above 90 percent among children, but only two reach the same level for adolescent HPV vaccination and just one for influenza vaccination among older adults.

The dashboard also highlights broader demographic trends shaping future vaccination needs. Its old-age dependency ratio shows how rapidly populations are aging relative to the working-age population.

Economies such as Hong Kong, China (33.9) and Korea (27.47) face some of the region’s highest ratios, underscoring the importance of keeping people healthier for longer to reduce pressure on health systems and public finances.

The dashboard also shows that adult vaccines, including HPV, influenza and shingles, can contribute to both infectious disease prevention and broader healthy aging objectives by reducing complications among older adults and people with chronic conditions, and helping people remain active and productive for longer.

“Strengthening life-course immunisation is critical to building resilient health systems and supporting healthy aging across APEC economies,” Dr Ryan MacFarlane from the APEC Vaccines Task Force said. “The new dashboard gives APEC economies a practical way to see where progress is being made and where health gaps remain.”

The dashboard supports implementation of the APEC Action Plan on Vaccination Across the Life-Course by giving member economies a practical tool to benchmark progress, identify policy gaps and share good practices. As the Action Plan reaches its midpoint, the launch marks an important milestone in strengthening regional cooperation on vaccination across every stage of life.

From well to pump: How fuel prices are formed

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From well to pump: How fuel prices are formed
    • Retail fuel prices have surged in 2026 following the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, driving up euro area energy inflation. In this blog, we examine the factors that drive fuel price dynamics at the pump.

By Friderike Kuik, Eliza Lis, Christiane Nickel and Mario Porqueddu

Rising oil prices amid the conflict in the Middle East have put the public spotlight back on fuel costs and their potential impact on inflation. This blog post explains how changes in crude oil prices feed through to what consumers pay for petrol or diesel at the pump. To do so, we take three steps.

First, we break down prices into three components − crude oil, refining and distribution margins, and taxes − and show how these prices reacted to changes in oil prices within weeks and the pass-through was complete. Second, we explain why a 10 percent increase in oil prices does not automatically translate into a 10 percent increase in fuel prices, as taxes and other fixed cost components dampen the pass-through. And third, we examine the role of refining margins, which can at times amplify the impact of oil price shocks on fuel prices, household budgets and inflation.

Oil price rises are transmitted fast and fully to retail fuel prices

In general, the prices for refined fuel and crude oil move pretty much in lockstep from month to month, although refined products (in particular diesel) have outpaced crude at times since 2022. This is a first sign of the role played by refining margins, to which we will return later.

To better understand how the recent oil price shock made it to the price of diesel at the petrol station, we need to trace the transmission mechanism. Prices for Brent crude rose rapidly in March after the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, peaking at 138 US dollars per barrel in early April. This is almost double the level seen in late February. To produce diesel, crude oil is processed in a refinery. On this occasion, prices of diesel after the refining process rose even faster than prices of crude oil, peaking at 197 US dollars per barrel in April. This resulted in ever higher prices at the pump. By the first week of April, retail diesel prices averaged €2.18 per litre across the euro area compared with €1.63 per litre in late February – a sizeable jump of a third. Rising crude oil prices thus fed quickly into rising consumer prices, as they usually do. In general, the pass-through is fast, within one or two months, and complete. Rather than being absorbed by lower profit margins, an increase of €0.10 per litre in crude oil prices usually translates into an increase of €0.10 per litre in pre-tax pump prices.

While the pass-through from oil prices to pump prices is complete in levels, in relative terms retail prices increased less. To understand why, we need to look at all the other components that make up consumer prices. And this also helps us comprehend why diesel prices rose by €0.55 against only €0.35 for crude prices.

In relative terms, retail prices increase less than crude prices

The prices of crude oil and refined diesel rose by over 90 percent between the end of February and the first week of April (peak since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict), whereas diesel prices at the pump increased by around “only” 34 percent. Similar dynamics applied to petrol. The reason for this is that a large share of the retail price is fixed and does not move with oil market prices.

Price elasticities – how much retail prices change in percentage terms when input prices change – vary along the five components that make up the price at the petrol station:

  • Crude oil is highly sensitive to both supply shocks (like the Middle East conflict) and demand shocks (like the COVID-19 pandemic). Since 2021 the crude oil component has averaged around €0.47 per litre of diesel, ranging from €0.28 to €0.80. At its most recent peak in the first week of April, it reached €0.73 (a 92% increase compared with the end of February).
  • Refining costs and margins are calculated as the difference between the contribution of refined product prices and the contribution of crude oil prices. This spread captures the additional costs and gross margins associated with all steps between crude oil arriving at the refinery and usable fuel leaving it. In the last week of February, they contributed €0.13 to the retail price of diesel, in line with the historical average from 2021. As mentioned above and detailed below, this price component was amplified during the recent energy shock (a 168% increase compared with the end of February).
  • Distribution costs and margins cover all activities between refining and the final sale of the product. These include transporting the product to the local retail outlet, marketing expenses and the costs of operating the outlet (e.g. rents and wages). Distribution margins absorbed part of the increase in diesel refining, falling by 14 percent compared with the end of February.
  • Excise duties are taxes levied at a fixed amount per litre that rarely changes, averaging €0.52 (diesel) and €0.66 (petrol) in the euro area since 2021. Several countries have temporarily cut excise duties to dampen the inflationary impact from the energy shock for consumers, as they did after Russia invaded Ukraine. These duties declined by around 8 percent compared with the end of February. In most cases, the latest measures expired in June this year.
  • Value added taxes (VAT) are levied as a fixed percentage of the pre-tax consumer price and excise duties (currently around 19-22% in most countries). Thus, they rise and fall with the pre-tax price but add no independent volatility. VAT accounts for roughly one-sixth of the retail price. The VAT component increased by 24 percent compared with the end of February (hence less than the retail price percentage change due to a cut of around 8% to the average VAT rate across the euro area, from 20.7% to 18.9%).

As excise duties and VAT together make up a big, largely fixed share of the price, a given percentage increase in crude oil prices translates into a much smaller percentage move at the station.

The renewed escalation of the conflict since early July has pushed pump prices back up, to around €1.98 per litre of diesel in the third week of July – with refining margins again playing an important role (Chart 2, panel d).

Why refining margins mattered this time

What is behind the big jump in absolute prices for diesel and petrol? This time, refining margins made a difference.

These margins may vary for a number of reasons, including:

(i) the varying refining processes according to the refined product requirements and the type of crude oil used;

(ii) the varying supply of and demand for various refined products – for example, when refineries are closed for maintenance or damaged in conflicts, or also when refined products from specific countries are under embargo for political reasons.

In the case of the recent energy shock, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has affected a significant share of global refining capacity. Essentially, this led to a decline in global refined-product exports of around 4.5 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026. This sharp supply crunch resulted in rapidly widening refining costs and margins, jumping from a monthly average of €0.10 per litre of diesel in February to €0.26 in March.

More recently, the renewed escalation of the conflict has led to another surge in refining costs and margins to near-record highs amid reduced refining capacity, contributing €0.35 to the diesel price and €0.23 to petrol for the first three weeks of July (Chart 3). Looking ahead, based on refined diesel futures on 20 July, the contribution from margins is expected to peak in August before declining to €0.16 by the end of 2027, close to levels observed at the end of February 2026.

What happens on the “way down”?

Crude oil prices fell significantly during the recent short-lived reopening of the Strait of Hormuz (18 June to 11 July), and retail diesel prices followed suit. Over the last few decades the “rockets and feathers” literature has discussed whether there is any evidence of asymmetry – whether retail prices fall less quickly (“feathers”) when oil prices come down compared with how fast they rise when oil prices go up (“rockets”). Earlier studies for the euro area failed to find any asymmetries, or the overall picture was inconclusive. However, more recent work suggests that the pass-through could be slower on the way down. This could reflect lags in inventory replacement, uncertainty about the persistence of crude oil price changes or weaker competitive pressure when costs decline. Further analysis is therefore needed to establish whether and why asymmetries were observed during the recent shock.

Conclusions

The Middle East oil price shock has been significant and had a marked impact on retail fuel prices, with refining margins amplifying the effect. Overall, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) for fuel drove the increase in the HICP for energy from -3.1 percent to 10.8 percent between February and May 2026 before it declined to 8.5 percent in June. As observed in the past, increases in the prices of crude and refined fuels passed through to retail prices rapidly, while temporary reductions in excise duties and taxes helped to alleviate the burden on consumers. When oil prices fell during the brief reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, pressures on retail fuel prices eased to some extent. The renewed escalation of the conflict has led to another sharp rise in fuel prices, reflecting not only higher crude oil prices but also surging refining margins.

Norwegian short film spotlights the Jamaica-led Blue Justice Caribbean hub

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Norwegian short film spotlights the Jamaica-led Blue Justice Caribbean hub

KINGSTON, Jamaica – An intergovernmental regional tracking system supported by the Norwegian government is being hailed for empowering the Jamaica-led Blue Justice Caribbean Hub in its fight against organised crime in the fisheries sector, including Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing (IUU).

“The establishment of the Blue Justice International Tracking Center, together with the secure government-to-government digital platform, has proven to be very, very transformative”, disclosed minister of state in the ministry of agriculture, fisheries and mining, Franklin Witter.

The satellite-supported vessel tracking and analysis system is already providing Caribbean countries with timely and actionable data, which the minister declared as critical for intercepting, monitoring, and deterring illicit activities. “In times of disaster, it becomes nothing short of a lifeline,” he disclosed.

Minister Witter was addressing the recent Caribbean premiere of the short film ‘Taking Back Our Oceans’ produced by the Norwegian government’s Blue Justice Initiative. Under a global partnership, Norway and the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Blue Resilience project are tackling transnational fisheries crime. UNDP’s Blue Resilience project also supports the National Fisheries Authority-led Blue Justice Caribbean Hub to advance regional cooperation and strengthen capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to fisheries crime.

“We cannot confront transnational organized crime in fisheries in isolation. We need shared data. We need coordinated intelligence, and critically, we need equity in access to the technology,” minister Witter declared. He encouraged all participating entities and member states in the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub to continue strengthening the collaboration, sharing expertise, and advancing practical solutions that support a safer, more sustainable maritime future for our region and beyond.

“Through the Blue Justice — the Blue Resilience Project, the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub, and Jamaica’s multi-agency mechanism template – we have demonstrated the value of this collaborative approach which has been shared and adopted in the region,” reported National Fisheries Authority (NFA) chief executive officer Dr Gavin Bellamy, whose agency heads up the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub.

He noted that Cape Verde has drawn inspiration from the Jamaican and Caribbean experience, which have helped inform discussions in Cape Verde on strengthening inter-agency cooperation and regional collaboration. Dr Bellamy also reported that with UNDP Blue Resilience support, regional capacity building interventions convened in person and on the Blue Justice Community secure platform have positively impacted local and regional cooperation in the fight against transnational organized crime and IUUF.

UNDP assistant resident representative Lesley-Ann Ennevor also hailed the work of Jamaica’s Multi-Agency Mechanism, noting its collaborative approach was already yielding results. “Through joint training, improved coordination, and the use of innovative tools such as secure digital platforms, agencies are better equipped to address illegal fishing and related crimes across the supply chain,” she observed.

In acknowledging the negative impacts of fisheries crimes on the economy, minister of water, environment and climate change, Matthew Samuda, said it was clear Jamaica had been raided of its fish stock far more than was realised. He pointed to ongoing investments in the Coast Guard and in the environment as a positive contribution to the fight against fisheries crime. “I’m happy with the work that we’ve done with the declaration of increased Protected Areas because ultimately this gives us a chance to replenish our pelagic stock,” he explained.

With the support of UNDP’s Blue Resilience project financed by the government of Norway, Jamaica has established a Multi-Agency Mechanism to enhance governance systems, strengthen compliance, and build resilience across fisheries value chains.

Through the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub, launched in 2023, the region has been advancing practical cooperation to strengthen capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to fisheries crime. UNDP is proud to support this effort through the Blue Resilience Project, working closely with national institutions to enhance governance systems, strengthen compliance, and build resilience across fisheries value chains.

Nicaragua’s abandoned ballot: What the OAS can and cannot do

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Nicaragua’s abandoned ballot: What the OAS can and cannot do

By Sir Ronald Sanders

Daniel Ortega has now said openly what his regime has demonstrated for years: the people of Nicaragua are not to be permitted to remove their rulers through elections.

During celebrations marking the 47th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, Ortega declared that there would be “no more elections” through which opposition parties could attempt to take power. He also promised a legislative “wall” against persons his government labels coup plotters and traitors.

The irony is stark. A revolution that overthrew the Somoza family dictatorship has produced another dynastic system, led by Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo.

I responded immediately on X, tweeting: “I unequivocally condemn Ortega’s outrageous announcement that Nicaragua will end elections. This is an assault on democracy and human rights. All responsible governments should condemn this unacceptable act. The people of Nicaragua have suffered long enough.”

However, Ortega’s declaration changed the official rhetoric more than the reality. Elections had already become a gimmick preserving the appearance, but not the substance, of popular choice. Before the 2021 election, opposition parties were outlawed and prospective presidential candidates arrested. Media and civil society organisations were closed or forced into exile. The latest declaration removes the remaining pretence of electoral competition.

Several member states of the Organization of American States (OAS) have condemned Ortega’s announcement. Secretary General Albert Ramdin has rightly described the elimination of elections as a denial of the Nicaraguan people’s sovereign right to choose their government. Neither the Secretary General nor individual governments can, by themselves, express the collective position of the OAS. And, while a month ago, the OAS General Assembly issued a declaration on the deterioration in Nicaragua, the OAS has not responded collectively to Ortega’s subsequent edict.

The delegations of Canada and Chile sought to remedy this silence by preparing a statement for member states. As Dean of the OAS Corps of Ambassadors, I contributed language to that statement, firmly condemning Ortega’s actions and calling for genuine multi-party elections.

At the time of writing, that text has not been considered by the Permanent Council, and the United States has since proposed a separate resolution that is also awaiting consideration. The central issue now before the OAS is how Ortega’s actions should be characterised.

What is happening in Nicaragua is a crisis of representative democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The Ortega-Murillo government continues to deprive Nicaraguans of their rights, deepen instability and fear, and drive people to escape repression through irregular migration, creating pressures for receiving states. But this does not transform an internal human rights crisis into a threat to hemispheric peace and security. Nicaraguans fleeing persecution are victims, not security threats to the countries in which they seek safety.

This distinction also matters legally.

Nicaragua withdrew from the OAS in November 2023. I was president of the Permanent Council when the withdrawal took effect. We made clear that the withdrawal did not erase the international human rights obligations applicable to Nicaragua, including those arising from the American Convention on Human Rights.

The government chose withdrawal after a majority of member states resisted its violations of democracy and the rule of law and while suspension under the OAS Charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter remained possible. Those suspension provisions apply only to member states and therefore no longer provide a course of action.

This does not mean that the OAS must remain silent or inactive. It means that the organisation must distinguish between political and human rights measures within its competence and any coercive measures which would require a different legal basis that is outside its authority.

Within the inter-American system, binding collective sanctions would have to be pursued, if at all, by states parties to the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, or the Rio Treaty. This separate procedure is available only to parties to that Treaty and requires a credible determination that the peace of the Americas is endangered. Not all OAS members are parties, and Nicaragua is no longer one.

More importantly, Ortega’s oppression of the Nicaraguan people, while reprehensible, does not constitute an armed attack upon another state or justify claiming that Nicaragua presently threatens hemispheric peace and security. The law cannot be stretched merely because the political conduct being condemned is offensive. Doing so would weaken the rules-based order that defenders of democracy seek to uphold.

There are, nevertheless, meaningful actions that the OAS can and should take.

The Permanent Council can adopt a clear resolution condemning the elimination of meaningful electoral competition and rejecting the exclusion of candidates or organisations solely because they peacefully oppose the government. It can demand the release of political prisoners, the restoration of civil and political rights, and the reopening of space for independent media and civil society.

It can keep Nicaragua under sustained consideration pursuant to the June General Assembly declaration. It can receive regular briefings from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and support the Commission’s monitoring, hearings and precautionary measures.

The OAS can call upon Nicaragua to comply with decisions and provisional measures of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The secretary general can offer good offices, even if the government refuses to engage. Member states can also support civil society in exile, cooperate with United Nations mechanisms to preserve evidence, and protect those forced to flee.

Individual governments may consider their own lawful diplomatic measures. But these should be identified honestly as national decisions, not represented as collective OAS action unless authorised by the organisation’s competent organs.

The message to Ortega and Murillo must therefore be unmistakable. Nicaragua’s withdrawal from the OAS has not placed their regime beyond scrutiny or accountability. The OAS must maintain constant vigilance, document continuing abuses through its human rights institutions, and keep Nicaragua under sustained consideration by its political organs. It must insist that those responsible for violations are held accountable under applicable international law.

Ortega may have abandoned the ballot because he fears the verdict of his own people, but the Inter-American community must neither normalise his conduct nor allow it to disappear from hemispheric attention. Its response should be united, persistent and unambiguous, while remaining firmly grounded in the rule of law.

Shield AI – Thunder Tiger complete Hivemind’s first multi-asset autonomous maritime teaming demonstration in Taiwan

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Shield AI – Thunder Tiger complete Hivemind’s first multi-asset autonomous maritime teaming demonstration in Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Shield AI and Thunder Tiger Corp., announced the successful completion of Hivemind’s first multi-asset autonomous teaming demonstration on water, validating Shield AI’s Hivemind AI pilot aboard Thunder Tiger SeaShark unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in a coordinated mission on July 29, 2026.

During the demonstration in Pingtung, Taiwan, Thunder Tiger’s SeaShark 600 and SeaShark 800 USVs equipped with Hivemind autonomously executed a coordinated intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) mission using maritime radar, imagery, and Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. Hivemind autonomously planned mission waypoints, searched a designated maritime area, identified a target vessel of interest, and coordinated the USVs to escort the vessel out of the designated search zone. This demonstration marks Hivemind’s first multi-asset autonomous teaming demonstration on water and Hivemind’s first maritime radar and AIS integration.

“Hivemind continues to prove that true mission autonomy can scale across domains, platforms, and functional assets, unlocking new capabilities for distributed intelligence and maritime security missions,” said Nathan Michael, chief technology officer at Shield AI. “As we continue working with Thunder Tiger to expand the scale and sophistication of autonomous maritime teams, these systems will fundamentally reshape maritime surveillance operations and strengthen deterrence through resilient, intelligent operations.”

Earlier this year, Shield AI and Thunder Tiger announced a strategic partnership to explore integrating the Hivemind AI pilot with Thunder Tiger’s unmanned systems portfolio, supporting autonomous dual‑use maritime missions. Thunder Tiger’s portfolio spans surface and aerial systems, including Blue UAS‑approved first‑person view (FPV) platforms that strengthen secure and resilient supply chains for US and allied defense applications. Building on the success of this demonstration, the companies are continuing to collaborate on additional opportunities that leverage Thunder Tiger’s broad unmanned portfolio and Shield AI’s autonomy technologies, including potential future sensor integrations, advanced autonomous behaviours, larger team operations, and open‑ocean use cases.

“As an island nation, the maritime domain is increasingly critical to Taiwan’s security. By integrating AI pilots into our portfolio, we can enable distributed, networked teams that coordinate dynamically to build a more complete understanding of the maritime environment – improving the ability to detect, classify, and identify contacts while helping operators respond with greater speed, scale, and effectiveness,” said Gene Su, board director and general manager of Thunder Tiger Corp. “This demonstration marks an important step forward in advancing resilient, autonomous maritime capabilities, and we expect our partnership with Shield AI to continue delivering increasingly sophisticated autonomous systems that strengthen Taiwan’s defense posture.”

The Hivemind AI pilot enables platforms to sense, decide, and act independently, without human intervention. Hivemind has already piloted more than 30 different platforms including F-16s, jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), helicopters, drone boats, and ground vehicles.

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. 

Taiwan’s Drone Cooperation can deliver benefits to the Caribbean

 

Ethiopian private sector actors gain insight on AfDB financing opportunities and strategic partnerships

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Ethiopian private sector actors gain insight on AfDB financing opportunities and strategic partnerships

AFRICA – Over the past decade, Ethiopia has gradually shifted from a development model driven largely by public investment and state-owned enterprises towards one that places greater emphasis on private sector participation.

To support the transition, the bank group, in collaboration with the ministry of finance and with the support of the Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC), recently organised an Information Dialogue Session in Addis Ababa with representatives from Ethiopia’s private sector to enhance awareness of the bank’s financial instruments and explore opportunities for increased private sector participation in the country’s economic transformation.

The event brought together private sector representatives, financial institutions, and business associations to discuss financing opportunities, investment challenges, and the Bank’s evolving support to Ethiopia’s private sector-led development agenda.

Opening the session, Nathaniel Agola, chief country economist at the bank group, emphasised the bank’s strong belief that private sector engagement is essential to achieving Ethiopia’s growth ambitions. He noted that the bank’s approach aligns closely with the government’s ongoing development model transition.

“Access to affordable and suitable financing remains a significant challenge for many businesses in Ethiopia and thus this forum is important for bridging information gaps and fostering stronger collaboration between the Bank and private sector actors in Ethiopia,” he said.

Representing the ministry of finance, Berhanu Anbesa, head of the International Financial Institutions Cooperation Division, described the bank group as one of Ethiopia’s most strategic development partners.

“The government of Ethiopia has made a decisive shift from a public sector-led approach toward a private sector-led growth strategy because we recognise the role of the private sector as a key driver of sustainable economic growth, innovation, job creation, and economic diversification,” Anbesa said.

Sylvie Mahieu, the East Africa Regional Lead for Non-Sovereign Operations, led a technical session on the Bank Group’s financial instruments available for the private sector. She highlighted financing solutions designed to support private investments, business expansion, infrastructure development, trade finance, and agro-industrialisation initiatives.

The session provided details about loan options, equity and quasi-equity investments, guarantees (partial risk guarantees and partial credit guarantees), trade finance instruments and technical assistance.

Private sector participants and representatives of microfinance institutions raised questions and shared perspectives on the opportunities and challenges associated with accessing development finance. A recurring concern was the minimum capital thresholds often required for direct access to AfDB financing. They cited, as an example, the capital base requirement, which, they said, may be difficult for many Ethiopian businesses seeking direct financing. Bank representatives explained various categories of financing, including the distinction between corporate versus and project financing. While corporate lending typically focuses on a company’s financial performance over time, project financing generally relies on project assets and associated investments as part of the security structure.

Mahieu encouraged businesses to seek professional transaction advisory support to improve their readiness for engaging with international financiers and structuring bankable projects.

Participants welcomed the initiative and encouraged the Bank and its partners to organise more such forums, noting that regular knowledge-sharing sessions would help businesses better understand the Bank’s financing requirements and improve their readiness to access funding.

The bank’s historical support to the private sector in Ethiopia

The African Development Bank Group has supported Ethiopia’s current private sector-driven development model through sovereign reforms and direct private sector investments. The bank’s Ethiopia Country Strategy Paper 2023-2027 places private sector development at the centre, recognising stronger governance, improved financial systems and quality infrastructure as critical foundations for private investment.

While private sector investments constitute roughly seven percent of the bank group’s current portfolio in Ethiopia, the bank group has been a longstanding backer of the country’s private sector.

The bank group supported the establishment of the country’s Public-Private Partnership framework in 2015, financed landmark private sector projects such as  Derba Cement, Ethiopian Airlines fleet expansion in 2016, and trade finance facilities for financial institutions including Dashen Bank and Awash Bank in 2025.

The bank group currently finances 27 projects in Ethiopia valued at approximately $1.3 billion. While 93 percent of the portfolio consists of public sector operations, the bank group is increasingly prioritising non-sovereign and private sector operations in line with Ethiopia’s private sector-led development agenda.

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