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InterContinental Grenada celebrates opening with exclusive offer

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InterContinental Grenada celebrates opening with exclusive offer

~Guests Can Save 40% on Best Available Rates Through January 2027, With Daily Breakfast, Welcome Cocktail and Complimentary Room Upgrade~

LA SAGESSE, Grenada – In celebration of its highly anticipated November 2026 opening, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is introducing an Exclusive Opening Offer inviting travellers to experience the newest luxury resort on Grenada’s southeastern coast. The offer includes 40 percent off the Best Available Rate for stays through January 2027, along with daily breakfast, a welcome cocktail upon arrival and a complimentary room upgrade at check-in, subject to availability.

Set along the sheltered shores of La Sagesse Bay, InterContinental Grenada Resort & Spa will offer a sophisticated yet relaxed approach to Caribbean luxury, pairing contemporary accommodations and elevated amenities with the natural beauty, culture and spirit of Grenada.

Guests booking the Exclusive Opening Offer will have the opportunity to settle into thoughtfully designed guest rooms and suites inspired by the island’s lush landscapes and vibrant character. Days can be spent relaxing along the resort’s secluded beach, exploring Grenada’s coastline and local culture, or enjoying the property’s expansive culinary and wellness offerings.

The resort will feature five distinctive dining experiences, including Mosaic, an island-inspired all-day dining restaurant; Coralie, an open-air Mediterranean restaurant; Solara, a rooftop bar overlooking the ocean; Cove, a pool and spa bar; and Café Amber, offering coffee, pastries and house-made selections.

Wellness will also be central to the experience, with an on-site spa, fitness facilities including Pilates reformers, and curated relaxation experiences designed to complement the restorative setting. Guests can also enjoy water sports, beach activities, culinary and cultural immersions, island-focused adventures and a dedicated Kids Club.

The Exclusive Opening Offer is designed to provide an opportunity for travellers to experience InterContinental Grenada Resort & Spa during its inaugural season, whether planning a Caribbean escape or a winter getaway.

The exclusive opening offer includes:

  • 40% off the Best Available Rate;
  • Daily breakfast;
  • Welcome cocktail upon arrival;
  • Complimentary room upgrade at check-in, subject to availability.

Terms & Conditions:

  • Valid for stays through January 2027;
  • Full pre-payment required at time of booking;
  • Reservations are non-refundable and non-cancellable;
  • No minimum length of stay required;
  • Offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts.

Opening in November 2026, InterContinental Grenada Resort & Spa will introduce a new destination for luxury hospitality in Grenada.

Located along La Sagesse Bay on Grenada’s southeastern coast, the 120-room resort will offer sophisticated accommodations, immersive culinary experiences, a serene spa and wellness retreat, family-friendly programming and more than 20,000 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor event space.

Designed to become Grenada’s social and cultural resort, the property will combine contemporary luxury with authentic island experiences rooted in connection, comfort and discovery.

For more information and reservations, visit InterContinental Grenada Resort & Spa.

WHO – Africa CDC welcomes Ebola vaccines to the DRC

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WHO – Africa CDC welcomes Ebola vaccines to the DRC

DRC / AFRICA – Last week, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) requested a release of Ervebo vaccines from the global Ebola virus disease vaccine stockpile, managed by the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (ICG). The request was for use of the vaccine in the current Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak.

Ervebo vaccine is licensed and recommended for use in outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (previously called Zaire ebolavirus). On Monday, the ICG informed the DRC government of an immediate initial release of 70,000 doses.

The allocation includes 20,000 doses for a Phase 3 clinical trial to understand the impact of the vaccine on the Bundibugyo virus, and 50 000 doses for frontline and health workers in line with the current recommendations of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).

It is not known whether Ervebo may be protective against the Bundibugyo virus in humans. Early laboratory and animal data suggest it may provide some protection. Thus, the clinical trial is expected to provide important new evidence, which is essential for policy-makers to inform future use of the Ervebo vaccine. It is key that the people offered the vaccine, in the trial and otherwise, receive information of the risks, potential benefits and limitations related to the use of the vaccine in an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus and are able to provide informed consent.

The ICG partners are WHO, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières and UNICEF. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, provides funding for the stockpile.

WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) welcome the allocation of vaccines to the DRC.

Against the backdrop of the ongoing outbreak, and based on the available evidence, WHO and Africa CDC support DRC’s focus on protecting the people of DRC and using a community-led approach, which empowers communities to play a central role in the response.

Africa CDC and WHO are united in support of the government of the DRC, to protect affected communities, save lives and bring the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak to an end, while generating the scientific evidence needed to strengthen Africa’s preparedness for future outbreaks.

ICG – Ebola vaccine stockpile

The International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision was established in 1997, following major outbreaks of meningitis in Africa, as a mechanism to manage and coordinate the provision of emergency vaccine supplies and antibiotics to countries during major outbreaks. The partners and founding institutions are the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, MSF, UNICEF and WHO. The core mandate of the ICG is to make available and ensure equitable access to licensed vaccines for cholera, meningitis, yellow fever, and Ebola virus disease during outbreaks.

Ebola vaccine stockpile: The ICG has managed the emergency stockpile of Ebola vaccine since January 2021, which was created as an additional tool to control outbreaks of Ebola virus (previously called Zaire ebolavirus). Since the establishment of ICG Ebola mechanism in 2021 until July 2026, over 56, 000 doses of Ervebo vaccine have been allocated to respond to Ebola virus outbreaks in DRC. A further 167 000 doses have been used in preventive campaigns for health and frontline workers in DRC, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Uganda.

US – Jamaica signs Status of Forces Agreement

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US – Jamaica signs Status of Forces Agreement

By War.gov

WASHINGTON, USA – The governments of the United States and Jamaica have signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). This agreement builds on the already strong bilateral security partnership acknowledged and discussed by United States secretary of war Pete Hegseth and the Jamaica deputy prime minister and minister of national security Dr Horace Chang during their bilateral meeting in the margins of the Americas Counter Cartels Coalition Forum in Panama on August 12, 2026.

Status of Forces Agreements are international instruments that establish and formalise the terms under which members of one country’s armed forces may be temporarily present in another country for mutually agreed activities, including training exercises and joint operations. Jamaica joins more than 120 partner nations that have similar agreements with the United States.

Jamaica and the United States have enjoyed decades of close security cooperation. Since the establishment of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), members of the United States Armed Forces and JDF have participated in joint training exercises, professional exchanges, humanitarian and disaster response activities, and other forms of security cooperation. This SOFA agreement is a message to the criminal organisations in the region, that the United States Armed Forces and JDF are committed to deepening and expanding their cooperation, including in their efforts to fight criminal organisations and narco-terrorists who traffic guns, drugs, and people.

The signing of the SOFA provides a modern and predictable framework to further strengthen cooperation in areas of shared interest, including regional security, defense cooperation, and disaster response. Through this agreement, the United States and Jamaica reaffirm their commitment to a strong security partnership that advances peace through strength and the mutual interests of our countries.

Caribbean MSMEs to benefit from new CDB supported digital transformation initiative

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Caribbean MSMEs to benefit from new CDB supported digital transformation initiative

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB / the Bank) and the Small Business Association of Barbados have launched a regional initiative designed to help Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) strengthen their digital capabilities, improve competitiveness, and expand their participation in regional and global markets.

The project, titled “Reengineering MSMEs for Growth: Adoption and Application of Digital Solutions to Build Resilience and Global Competitiveness,” was officially launched on August 19, 2026, at the CDB Conference Centre in Wildey, Barbados.

The initiative will support a minimum of 150 MSMEs across Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with targeted assistance to help firms assess their digital maturity, adopt practical digital solutions, and implement transformation plans. The project also places inclusion at its centre, with specific attention to women-led enterprises and underserved businesses that often face additional barriers to growth.

Delivering remarks at the launch, Daniel M. Best, president of the Caribbean Development Bank, said the initiative responds directly to the urgent need to strengthen the region’s private sector and prepare Caribbean businesses for a rapidly changing global economy.

“The future prosperity of the Caribbean depends on our ability to build economies that are more productive, resilient, and competitive. At the centre of that effort are our MSMEs, the businesses that create jobs, sustain families, support communities, and drive innovation across the region,” emphasised Best.

He noted that many MSMEs continue to face constraints linked to scale, geography, access to finance, digital readiness, and market access. However, he highlighted that digitalisation offers small states and firms a powerful opportunity to overcome traditional barriers, increase productivity, strengthen resilience, and compete more effectively.

The project combines knowledge, institutional support, local networks, and financing, including grant support for selected firms to implement their digital transformation plans. This integrated model is intended to help participating businesses move from ambition to action by applying digital tools in ways that improve operations, customer reach, and market competitiveness.

“This is what development partnership should look like: finance, knowledge, technology, institutional support, and local networks working together to help businesses move from ambition to action. Through this initiative, we are helping Caribbean MSMEs turn digital visibility into real sales, and business potential into greater productivity, resilience, and sustained global competitiveness,” said president Best.

In his keynote address, Kerrie Symmonds, senior minister and minister of energy, business development and consumer affairs, government of Barbados, welcomed the new initiative, noting that the pace of technological change makes digital transformation an imperative for Caribbean businesses.

“The rest of the world is moving swiftly in the direction of artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The Caribbean cannot be the last to move, and we cannot afford to be left behind. We have to confront the challenges of digital adoption, build the capacity of our businesses, and create an environment in which MSMEs can use technology to improve productivity and efficiency,” asserted minister Symmonds.

The launch brought together representatives of the government of Barbados, the Small Business Association of Barbados, Business Support Organisations, regional partners, and participating stakeholders from across the beneficiary countries.

The programme included remarks from Dr Lynette Holder, CEO of the Small Business Association of Barbados; Donna Hope, vice chairman of the Small Business Association of Barbados; Sunita Daniel, CEO of Export Saint Lucia; Victor Boyce, head of country, Barbados, CIBC Caribbean; and Natasha Edwin-Walcott, coordinator, MSME Development, Private Sector Division, Caribbean Development Bank.

The project also supports the wider goals of Small Business Week 2026, which will be held from September 13 to 19, 2026, under the theme “Beyond Borders: Positioning Small Business for the Global Economy.”

Through this partnership, the Caribbean Development Bank is reinforcing its commitment to a stronger, more innovative, and more inclusive private sector, while working with regional institutions to ensure that Caribbean entrepreneurs are better equipped to thrive in the digital economy.

Jamaica calls for reforms to multilateral system

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Jamaica calls for reforms to multilateral system

By Lisa Rowe

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – Jamaica is advocating for reforms to the multilateral system to better recognise the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and ensure equitable access to affordable and concessional financing.

The call was made by minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, senator Kamina Johnson Smith, when she delivered Jamaica’s third Voluntary National Review (VNR) report at the seventh meeting of the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, in New York, recently.

“International trade, although still considered a driver of growth, is increasingly also a source of vulnerability. We remain exposed to exogenous shocks beyond our control. The multilateral system is, indeed, in need of reform. Systems and processes must recognise the special circumstances of SIDS to ensure real and measurable change in their development outcomes. Within this context, Jamaica calls for the use of complementary measures of progress that go beyond the GDP, including multidimensional vulnerabilities in order to secure equitable access to affordable and concessional finance,” senator Johnson Smith said.

Jamaica has embarked on a programme of economic resilience, including funding more of the domestic budget from tax revenue as development assistance declines and global interest rates rise.

Senator Johnson Smith also highlighted the need to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that 2030 is approaching and the world is not on track to achieve the ambitious agenda.

“In Jamaica, we have used successive analyses grounded in productive capacities, systems thinking, and other approaches to identify key points of intervention related to human capital, energy, and infrastructure, among others,” senator Johnson Smith disclosed. She identified SDGs 3, 4, 9 and 11 as potential accelerators because of their multiplier effects across lagging and regressing goals.

“Policy coherence and prioritisation are foundational to successful plan implementation,” the minister noted.

Senator Johnson Smith further stressed the importance of strong institutions and investment in priority policy areas to support macroeconomic stability, climate resilience and human capital development.

“Building and maintaining strong institutions will act as a cross-cutting accelerator, supporting macroeconomic stability, climate resilience, and human capital development, and investing in priority policy drivers can unlock progress within the timelines.” Senator Johnson Smith argued. Jamaica’s development journey will extend beyond 2030, and that strong international partnerships will remain critical.

“The post-2030 development agenda must, however, take lessons learned from this period and adopt clear means of implementation, manageable statistical frameworks, and early inclusion into national planning systems. In this context, we look forward to working within a reformed, relevant, and supportive multilateral system to deliver on an accelerated post-2030 agenda in the interests of present and future generations,” Senator Johnson Smith said.

ECLAC calls for driving productive formalisation to increase productivity and escape the trap of low capacity for growth

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ECLAC calls for driving productive formalisation to increase productivity and escape the trap of low capacity for growth
    • The United Nations regional commission projects regional economic growth of 2.2 percent in 2026 and 2.5 percent in 2027 and advises that increasing productivity and growth is necessary for reducing informality through productive formalisation strategies.

SANTIAGO, Chile –  The Economic Commission for Latin American and the Caribbean (ECLAC), August 20, 2026, presented a new edition of its annual report Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2026. Growth and productivity amid high informality: constraints and challenges in fostering productive formalisation in the region.

The report indicates that the regional economy is expected to grow by 2.2 percent in 2026, after a 2.4 percent expansion in 2025, and show a partial recovery of up to 2.5 percent in 2027. If these projections prove correct, Latin America and the Caribbean will have maintained five years with average growth near 2.3 percent, an insufficient level to provide a sustained increase in income per inhabitant, close development gaps, and significantly expand political spaces.

It also indicates that a declining international context―marked by lower worldwide growth, greater geopolitical tensions, financial volatility, and pressures in energy markets―partly explain the deceleration predicted for 2026. However, it states that the main limitation for regional growth is structural in nature: low levels of investment, decreased dynamism in formal job creation, and high and persistent labor informality.

“The region has managed to maintain significant progress regarding macroeconomic stability, but that stability must become a platform for more and better growth. To overcome the trap of low capacity for growth, we must increase investment and productivity and simultaneously move toward productive formalisation that strengthens people’s and businesses’ productive capacity, expands social protection, and generates more high-quality formal employment,” stated the executive secretary of ECLAC, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs.

Low growth in a new geopolitical era

During 2025, the region showed resilience in a reconfigured international context with increased uncertainty. Regional GDP grew by 2.4 percent ; inflation continued to converge toward central banks’ goals, employment continued to broaden, though less strongly, and real wages continued to recover. At the same time, the current account remained at a moderate level of 1.2 percent of regional GDP, and net capital flow facilitated accumulation of international reserves.

A global economic downturn is expected for 2026, with growth of 2.9 percent, the lowest rate since 2022. Geopolitical rivalries and the disruption of energy supplies have increased the prices of oil, fertilisers, and transportation, while the persistence of relatively high international interest rates and the appreciation of the dollar could worsen financing conditions for emerging economies.

At the regional level, ECLAC projects growth for Latin America and the Caribbean of 2.2 percent in 2026 and 2.5 percent in 2027, with marked heterogeneity at the subregional level. South America is expected to grow 2.5 percent in both 2026 and 2027. Growth in Central America is expected to be 1.6 percent in 2026 and 2.8 percent in 2027. This result is influenced by the contraction expected for Cuba and Haiti. If these two economies are excluded, the subregional average would be 4.0 percent for 2026 and 4.2 percent for 2027. The Caribbean is expected to grow 5.6 percent in 2026 and 7.9 percent in 2027, driven by increased growth in Guyana; if this country is not included, the subregional average would be 1.1 percent in 2026 and 2.2 percent in 2027.

Inflation is expected to remain contained, though its convergence toward goals will be slower. The recent price shock has been mainly concentrated on energy and fertilisers, with a more limited transmission to food than in previous incidents. However, increased energy costs could delay new reductions in monetary policy rates. In this context, ECLAC highlights the importance of preserving monetary credibility and actively using macroprudential tools to mitigate financial risks.

Regarding labor, the number of employed people increased by 1.6 percent in 2025—approximately 4.3 million jobs—but the job creation rate slowed for the third consecutive year. The unemployment rate decreased to 5.3%, and labor informality continued to drop, although it still includes nearly half of employed people. Indicators in early 2026 confirm a more moderate expansion of employment and show that the possibility of maintaining labor improvements will depend more and more on increases in investment, productivity, and growth.

Regarding fiscal matters, the stabilization of gross public debt at approximately 52 percent  of GDP in Latin America has not been sufficient to rebuild the fiscal space. Low growth, the high cost of financing, and increased interest payments limit resources available for increasing public investment, social protection, and accelerating productive transformation. In the Caribbean, gross public debt was approximately 73 percent of GDP in 2025, which also reinforced the same limitations to moving toward more productive, inclusive, and sustainable development.

Informality weakens growth capacity for increasing productivity

The second part of the Economic Survey2026 examines informality not only as a labor or social protection problem but also as a structural restriction that limits economies’ capacities to transform growth into sustained increases in productivity, investment, and high-quality employment. At the same time, informality is a consequence of low growth and one of the mechanisms that perpetuate the trap of low capacity for growth.

Historical evidence shows that the greatest progress in formalisation took place between 2000 and 2013, which was the most recent period of greater economic growth, high investment rates, productivity increases, and expansion of formal salaried employment. This process has been less robust since 2014, along with the deceleration of investment and stalling of productivity. Currently, nearly half of employed people in the region continue to work in informal activities.

The analysis presented in the report shows that growth increases productivity both in the formal and informal sectors, but that its effects are more intense, rapid, and persistent in the first. Formal companies have more capacity to take advantage of economies of scale, incorporate innovation, access financing, and accumulate productive capacities. Therefore, the greater the weight of informality, the less growth capacity there is to generate permanent improvements to productivity.

Productive formalisation: An integral strategy to grow more and better

Given this analysis, ECLAC proposes developing strategies to boost productive formalisation in the region. This concept refers to a process in which increased formality is accompanied by a strengthening of productive capacities of people and companies, increases in productivity, and a productive transformation able to maintain more dynamic and inclusive growth. This focus transcends regulatory reforms or isolated administrative incentives and requires coherence and complementarity among labor, fiscal, financial, and productive development policies.

The report identified four complementary action areas:

Labor policies: furthering programs for job creation, training, and labor insertion; reducing gender gaps; better articulating labor and social policies, and strengthening the care economy and the use of digital tools to facilitate access and permanence in formality.

Fiscal policies: moving toward social protection financing systems that reduce disincentives to formality; establishing progressive and flexible paths to formalisation, and using digitalisation and administrative interoperability to simplify compliance and strengthen oversight.

Financial policies: reinforcing the role of the development bank as an instrument for productive insertion; designing mechanisms that recognize the heterogeneity of company makeups, and broadening systems of guarantees to reduce credit segmentation.

Productive development policies: strengthening and scaling integrated routes for company support, with an emphasis on technological extensionism; focusing interventions territorially; promoting anticipatory and multi-actor governance, along with productive integration and strengthening information, monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems.

ECLAC concludes that reducing informality is a necessary condition for strengthening the region’s growth capacity and escaping the trap of low capacity for growth. Productive formalisation would allow for improvement of employment quality, broadening social protection, and reducing inequalities, as well as increasing economies’ capacity to convert growth into sustained progress in productivity, broadening the space for public policy, and consolidating processes of productive transformation that maintain high rates of growth in the long term.

Impacts of demographic changes in Latin America and the Caribbean – ECLAC reports

PAHO/WHO supports Colombia as health response enters next phase following earthquake

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PAHO/WHO supports Colombia as health response enters next phase following earthquake

WASHINGTON, USA, (PAHO) – Just over one week since a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on 10 August, the health response is moving into its next phase, with efforts focused on assessing damage levels to health infrastructure, identifying priority needs and maintaining essential health services in affected communities, according to the latest health situation report.

PAHO/WHO continues to support Colombia’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MSPS), the National Institute of Health (INS) and local health authorities across these areas, including through assessments of damaged health facilities, monitoring of health risks in temporary emergency shelters, coordination of Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs), and actions on water, sanitation, hygiene and mental health.

According to the situation report, 303 health establishments have been affected across 11 of the 15 departments impacted by the earthquake. As of 18 August, the mnistry of health had verified damage at 192 facilities and prioritised 50 where damage could compromise the continuity or capacity of health services.

“We are now moving from the immediate response to the next phase, where it is critical to understand the extent of damage to health services, identify the most urgent needs and ensure that essential care continues to reach affected communities,” said Dr Ana Rivière Cinnamond, PAHO/WHO Representative in Colombia. “PAHO/WHO is working closely with Colombia’s health authorities to strengthen these capacities and support decisions based on the needs identified on the ground.”

Assessing damage to maintain health services

PAHO/WHO is working with the ministry of health to assess the condition of health facilities affected by the earthquake and identify those requiring the most urgent attention.

PAHO/WHO has trained health personnel to carry out rapid assessments of damaged facilities. Where more serious damage is identified, engineers and architects carry out additional assessments to determine what is needed to reinforce or maintain services.

The Organization is also helping health authorities bring this information together so they can see where the greatest needs are and prioritise support and interventions.

Monitoring health risks in temporary shelters

PAHO/WHO is also supporting health authorities to monitor the health of people living in temporary emergency shelters.

As of 18 August, 75 temporary shelters were operating across seven affected departments and districts. PAHO/WHO has worked with the INS to strengthen a system that helps health authorities monitor symptoms and identify unusual increases in illness, allowing them to investigate potential health risks and respond early.

The information collected in the shelters is being brought together to help authorities monitor the situation and make timely decisions. According to the situation report, Colombia’s national disease surveillance system remains operational despite the earthquake, with 99.94 percent compliance with reporting requirements during epidemiological week 32.

PAHO/WHO is also supporting measures to reduce health risks in shelters and affected health facilities, including monitoring water quality, providing bottled water and cleaning supplies, promoting food safety and strengthening measures to control vectors and pests.

Coordinating emergency medical teams according to needs

At the request of the ministry of health, PAHO/WHO activated a virtual Emergency Medical Team Coordination Cell (CICOM) on 14 August to register and review offers of emergency medical assistance.

The response continues to rely primarily on national capacities. One national EMT is currently operating in three locations, while two additional teams are in the process of mobilisation. The Hospital Ship San Raffaele has deployed mobile teams in Bajo Calima, Río Cajambre and Cali, with additional specialised surgical capacity being mobilised for Litoral del San Juan.

International EMTs are also on standby should the Ministry of Health determine that their deployment is needed. The coordination mechanism will remain active to assess offers against identified needs, with no international deployment initiated without authorisation from the ministry.

Protecting health and restoring essential capacity

PAHO/WHO is supporting mental health and psychosocial response efforts through psychological first aid training, strengthening mental health referral pathways and supporting frontline responders.

Laboratory services are also being affected. Public health laboratories in Quindío, Risaralda and Caldas remain closed because of infrastructure damage, while activities at the Valle del Cauca public health laboratory have been temporarily suspended while its infrastructure, safety and equipment are assessed.

PAHO/WHO is supporting authorities to maintain alternative arrangements for receiving, transporting and processing priority samples while these laboratories work to restore their operations.

Continued support for the next phase

This emergency has deepened and amplified protracted, underlying vulnerabilities that were already affecting the population. As Colombia moves into the next phase of the response, significant health needs remain, including temporary health facilities, biomedical equipment, medicines, supplies to expand hospital capacity, diagnostic reagents and laboratory supplies, and materials to support water and food safety monitoring. These needs are compounded by concerns over increased rainfall associated with the El Niño phenomenon, which could further affect already vulnerable communities, increase the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, and place additional pressure on health services.

PAHO/WHO continues to work with Colombia’s national and local health authorities and partners to identify critical gaps, strengthen response capacities and mobilise the support needed to maintain essential health services and protect the health of communities affected by the earthquake.

Former OAS secretary-general Luis Almagro backs Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for UN Secretary-General

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Former OAS secretary-general Luis Almagro backs Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for UN Secretary-General

By Caribbean News Global

USA / GUYANA – Former secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, has expressed strong support for Guyana’s candidate for United Nations secretary-general, ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, describing the veteran diplomat as an “extraordinary person for the position” and saying she has the leadership and capacity required to head the global organisation.

In an interview aired on August 11, 2026 by La Diaria, a prominent Uruguayan media house, Almagro offered a personal assessment of Rodrigues-Birkett’s qualifications, drawing on his longstanding professional knowledge of the Guyanese diplomat.

“She would be an excellent secretary-general,” Almagro said. “Well, that’s because I know her personally. I know her leadership, I know her capacity to work, and honestly, she also did very, very well during her first poll of the first debate. So, she is a truly qualified person for that.”

Almagro’s endorsement comes as Rodrigues-Birkett has emerged as one of the leading contenders in the race to succeed António Guterres as secretary-general of the United Nations.

Guyana formally nominated Rodrigues-Birkett for the position on June 15, 2026. Three days later, she participated in the UN General Assembly’s interactive dialogue with candidates for the post, presenting her vision and priorities for the organisation before member states.

The Guardian reported on August 19, 2026, that, in the first straw poll conducted by the UN Security Council on July 30, 2026, Rodrigues-Birkett placed second among the seven candidates vying for the position, receiving nine “encourage” votes, two “discourage” votes and four “no opinion” votes. Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan led the poll.

The informal and non-binding straw polls allow the 15 members of the Security Council to indicate whether they “encourage,” “discourage” or have “no opinion” on each candidate. The results provide an important indication of the level of support candidates enjoy within the Council as the selection process advances.

The contest, however, remains open, with further Security Council consultations and straw polls expected as the selection process continues.

Against that backdrop, Almagro’s public support adds the voice of a former leader of one of the hemisphere’s principal multilateral organisations to Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidacy.

Almagro served as OAS Secretary General from 2015 to 2025, after previously serving as Uruguay’s minister of foreign affairs. His endorsement carries particular weight given his decade leading the hemisphere’s principal multilateral organisation and his longstanding professional relationship with Rodrigues-Birkett, whom he came to know through years of hemispheric diplomacy, including the period when they served concurrently as foreign ministers of Uruguay and Guyana.

Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidacy also carries historic significance for the Caribbean and for women in international diplomacy.

No woman has served as secretary-general since the United Nations was established in 1945, and no national of a Caribbean country has held the position. If Rodrigues-Birkett ultimately secures the post, she would make history as both the first woman and the first Caribbean national to serve as secretary-general of the United Nations.

Ghana sends a signal from Brussels – women in coffee are here

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Ghana sends a signal from Brussels – women in coffee are here

By ITC News

GHANA / BRUSSELS – Ghana produces coffee. Not many people know that yet, but the women growing, processing, and trading it just made sure the world’s coffee industry does.

Coffee has long played second fiddle to cocoa in Ghana’s agricultural identity. But the country has real and growing potential: Robusta coffee, well suited to Ghana’s lowland tropical climate, is produced by smallholder families across 10 regions, and is increasingly promoted as a strong second cash crop for cocoa-growing households.

Women are central to that production system, yet they represent only around 35 percent of supported smallholders, a gap rooted in unequal access to land, finance, training, and decision-making, despite carrying much of the sector’s day-to-day labour.

The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) Ghana Chapter, launched in June 2026 on the sidelines of World of Coffee Brussels, exists specifically to close that gap. Bringing together farmers, processors, traders, roasters, exporters, and baristas across the value chain under a single women-led national platform, it creates the institutional infrastructure that allows women’s participation to be tracked, supported, and scaled, rather than left to informal or fragmented efforts. It also connects Ghanaian women in coffee to the global IWCA network, giving them access to peer learning, international visibility, and market linkages that would be far harder to build alone.

The Chapter’s formation was led by women in Ghana’s coffee sector, and facilitated by ITC under the EU–OACPS Business Friendly Programme, through stakeholder consultations, governance framework development, and capacity-building design. An IWCA Chapter, once launched, is self-governing. ITC’s role is to help get it structurally sound before stepping back.

Choosing to launch at World of Coffee Brussels was itself deliberate. The event draws buyers, roasters, and coffee organisations from across every producing and consuming region. Presenting the Ghana Chapter there sent an immediate signal: these women are entering the global stage where markets, partnerships, and recognition are made.

For the coffee sector in Ghana and globally, this move adds to a growing body of evidence that closing gender gaps in value chains is not a side issue. It is a core lever for quality, sustainability, and growth.

Facts, due process and fairness: The CCJ’s test

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Facts, due process and fairness: The CCJ’s test

By Sir Ronald Sanders

I have been an advocate of the Caribbean Court of Justice from its conception. In 2015, on the Court’s tenth anniversary, I described its creation as arguably the most significant institutional achievement of the English-speaking Caribbean since the Treaty of Chaguaramas. I have not changed that view.

I have also argued repeatedly that the CCJ is a people’s court. An appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council costs at least USD 65,000 and is, therefore, beyond the reach of most Caribbean people. By contrast, the CCJ, with its travelling Bench, video links and electronic filing, provides access to justice for persons of little means as well as for governments and wealthy companies.

The Court was also deliberately protected from political control. Its judges, other than the president, are appointed by an independent regional commission. The president is appointed by a three-quarters majority of the Contracting Parties, but only on the recommendation of that Commission. The Court’s operations are financed through an independently managed Trust Fund.

These are strong reasons for supporting the CCJ. But support for a regional institution cannot mean silence when serious questions arise about its administration. On the contrary, those who value the Court should be among the first to insist that such questions are answered properly.

The allegations now surrounding the president of the Court, Justice Winston Anderson, are grave. Internal correspondence reported by the Trinidad Express newspaper shows that five of his six judicial colleagues raised concerns about his leadership. The reported allegations include “dictatorial” administration, the manipulation of judicial panels and attempts to influence colleagues during deliberations.

But allegations are not findings. They do not become true because private correspondence has been disclosed and published. No independent body has found any of these allegations proved. Nor has anything published established that the outcome of any case was improperly determined.

I have known Justice Anderson for many years as a dedicated Caribbean public servant, a distinguished legal scholar and a committed worker in the cause of Caribbean jurisprudence. That acquaintance does not put me in a position to decide disputed facts. But it does allow me to say that his record of service should not be swept aside, and his character should not be determined, by allegations that have not been independently examined.

Justice Anderson has now answered the allegations. He rejects unequivocally the claim that panels were constituted to influence the outcome of cases. He maintains that the selection of panels has always been an administrative responsibility of the President and that he exercised it only for the orderly and impartial conduct of the Court’s work.

He has not claimed that every decision he made was beyond criticism. He accepts that he may have dealt too strongly with the question of judicial attire. He also acknowledges that his intervention in Guyana’s long-standing failure to appoint substantively a Chancellor and Chief Justice would have been better confined to public commentary, as his predecessors had done. His account deserves the same consideration as the allegations against him.

On 19 August, the Court announced that all judges will now sit on all panels unless a judge is formally excused for a legitimate reason. This change greatly reduces the scope for any president to choose which judges will hear a case.

That was a sensible decision. It was not an admission that panels had previously been manipulated. Equally, it does not establish that the previous authority was never misused. That question remains unanswered.

The difficulty is that no one appears able to say with confidence who has the lawful authority to answer it.

The Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission has said that the concerns should be addressed through the established internal processes of the Court and the Commission and through a “transparent and independent review”. It later clarified that it had not said that it had ordered such a review.

Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran of Guyana has argued that the Commission has no authority to investigate the president. The Commission’s disciplinary power expressly applies to judges other than the president.

Article IX of the Agreement establishing the Court provides a process where removal of a president may be under consideration. If at least three heads of government jointly represent that the question of removal ought to be investigated, a tribunal must be established to inquire into the matter and advise whether the President ought to be removed.

But that is a process directed towards possible removal from office. The Agreement does not set out, with equal clarity, who may conduct an independent examination of serious allegations against the President where removal is not yet being considered.

That is not a small procedural point. An investigation by a body without authority would resolve nothing. Its findings would themselves be challenged. Yet the absence of any credible inquiry would leave the allegations hanging over Justice Anderson and the Court indefinitely. Neither result would be fair to him, to the judges who raised the concerns, or to the Caribbean public.

In this respect, the constitution of the Court is unfinished. It provides a mechanism for removing a president, but not a clear and undisputed procedure for examining complaints against the holder of that office before the question of removal arises.

There is also the separate question of how the correspondence reached the press. The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Bar Association and the Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations were right to call for both the allegations and the disclosure to be investigated, and for the Court’s information systems to be examined urgently.

Confidentiality in judicial deliberations is essential. Judges must be able to exchange views, test arguments and reconsider positions without fearing that unfinished opinions will appear in a newspaper. The disclosure of such material has harmed the Court. But an investigation of the disclosure cannot be used to avoid an examination of the allegations. Both matters require attention.

Judicial independence does not mean that the administration of justice is beyond question. Independence protects judges and their decisions from political pressure and other improper influence. It does not excuse misconduct, if misconduct is proved, and it does not remove the need for accountability.

The heads of Caribbean Judiciaries put the matter plainly when they said that the Court’s authority “rests upon public confidence in the independence, impartiality, integrity and competence of its judges”. That confidence cannot simply be demanded. It has to be maintained.

The dialogue between CARICOM heads of government and heads of Judiciary in Montego Bay in July 2025 showed that the executive and judicial branches can engage each other while respecting judicial independence, the separation of powers and the constitutional role of each branch. That dialogue was not concerned with judicial discipline. But it demonstrated that properly structured engagement between the branches is not an attack on judicial independence.

Some of the eight CARICOM states that still retain the Privy Council may regard the present controversy as proof that they were right not to embrace the CCJ fully. That would be the wrong conclusion.

No court, whether in London, Washington, Strasbourg or Port of Spain, is free from internal disagreement. The question is how an institution responds when disagreement becomes serious and public.

Within days of the allegations being published, Justice Anderson issued a detailed reply. Within ten days, the Court changed the way judicial panels are constituted. These were necessary steps, but they were first steps only. They do not replace the need for an independent and lawful process to establish the facts.

The answer to a weakness in the governance of the CCJ is not continued dependence on the Privy Council. It is to correct the weakness. A distant court is not more accountable to Caribbean people simply because it is distant.

What is now required is a process whose authority cannot reasonably be disputed, which treats Justice Anderson and his judicial colleagues fairly and which establishes what occurred. The Contracting Parties must also close the gap in the Agreement so that, if a similar situation arises again, there will be no argument about who is authorised to act.

The Caribbean did not create the CCJ because we believed that its judges would never disagree or that its administration would never falter. We created it because we believed that Caribbean people were capable of administering justice at the highest level.

That belief now requires us to deal with this controversy honestly, lawfully and fairly. The Court will not be weakened by doing so. It will be strengthened.

PDM visits Salt Cay: Listening tour with residents demands lasting solution to water crisis

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PDM visits Salt Cay: Listening tour with residents demands lasting solution to water crisis

By People’s Democratic Movement (PDM)

TURKS and CAICOS ISLANDS, Salt Cay – A delegation from the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) spent Tuesday in Salt Cay, visiting residents throughout the community, listening directly to their concerns and examining the serious issues surrounding the island’s ongoing water-supply difficulties.

The delegation included PDM leader Douglas Parnell; leader of the opposition and member of parliament for Salt Cay, Edwin Astwood; secretary-general Mark A. Fulford; former minister of works Goldray Ewing; former speaker of the House of Assembly Dwayne Taylor; and Salt Cay resident Noel Hamilton.

The team remained on the island for the entire day, travelled throughout the community and visited nearly every household. Residents were given an opportunity to speak openly about the water situation and the wider challenges associated with living in one of the country’s smallest and most frequently overlooked communities.

The visit allowed the PDM to hear directly from residents, assess the circumstances confronting the island and reinforce its commitment to holding the government accountable for the prolonged disruption of an essential public service.

Salt Cay’s reverse-osmosis plant has been out of operation following the failure of a critical filter in June. The minister responsible has publicly apologised to residents and acknowledged that measures could have been taken to prevent the island’s water supply from reaching such a critical point.

While emergency shipments of water may provide temporary relief, transporting water to government storage tanks cannot be presented as a permanent resolution. Emergency deliveries do not mean that the island’s water-production system has been restored or that the underlying problem has been corrected.

The arrival of emergency water confirms the seriousness of the situation and the need for a dependable, long-term solution.

“Access to safe and reliable water is not a privilege, and it is not a political favour. It is one of the most basic services that any government must provide,” the Party said. “The question is not simply whether a barge eventually arrived. The real question is why Salt Cay was allowed to reach this point and what is being done to ensure that it never happens again.”

PDM leader Douglas Parnell said every island must receive fair and consistent treatment from the government.

“Whether a community has 50 residents or 50,000  residents, every Turks and Caicos Islander is entitled to dignity, reliable infrastructure and the basic services necessary for everyday life,” Parnell said. “We went to Salt Cay to listen and to understand the situation directly from the people living through it. The people of Salt Cay must know that they are seen, they are heard, and they matter.”

Leader of the opposition Edwin Astwood said Salt Cay’s residents deserve more than temporary responses whenever an essential system fails.

“The people of Salt Cay are resilient and deeply proud of their island, but their resilience must never be used as an excuse for inadequate public services,” Astwood said. “Residents should not have to live from one emergency shipment to another while waiting for their water-production system to be repaired. We will continue pressing the government until the plant is fully operational and a reliable, sustainable solution is in place.”

(Left-Right):Secretary General for the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), Mark Fulford and Political Leader Douglas Parnell

The PDM is calling on the government to provide clear answers on:

  • The present operational status of Salt Cay’s reverse-osmosis plant;
  • The reason adequate contingency arrangements were not activated before the island’s reserves became critically low;
  • The timeline for restoring full and reliable water production;
  • The condition and capacity of the government’s storage and distribution infrastructure; and
  • The permanent measures that will be implemented to prevent another prolonged interruption.

The PDM thanked Noel Hamilton and the residents of Salt Cay for welcoming the delegation into their homes and speaking candidly about their experiences.

Salt Cay is often affectionately called “the island that time forgot,” reflecting its history, tranquillity and unique character. That description must never define the standard of essential public services its people receive.

At the conclusion of the visit, the delegation delivered drinking water to households as an immediate gesture of assistance. The PDM emphasised, however, that distributing drinking water is not a substitute for the Government’s responsibility to provide Salt Cay with a properly functioning water-production system and a dependable supply.

The Movement will continue standing with Salt Cay and advocating for a permanent, reliable and sustainable solution to the island’s water challenges.

Salt Cay may be the island that time forgot, but it must never become the island that government forgot.

When land dries up, trade feels it: Why ITC is at COP17

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When land dries up, trade feels it: Why ITC is at COP17

GENEVA, Switzerland, (ITC News) – Across the world, heat, drought and land degradation are becoming harder to ignore. Wildfires are destroying landscapes and livelihoods, rivers and reservoirs are shrinking, and water scarcity is putting pressure on communities, businesses and energy systems. In some regions, low river levels are already restricting shipping and pushing cargo onto more expensive transport routes.

Land degradation is not only an environmental issue. It affects how economies function.

Land supports agriculture, tourism, industry, water systems, biodiversity and many of the raw materials that feed into global value chains. When land is degraded, the effects can travel far beyond the place where the damage occurs.

This is the backdrop to UNCCD COP17, taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 17 to 28 August 2026.

Often referred to as the Land COP, it is the main decision-making meeting of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Governments meet every two years to address desertification, land degradation and drought and agree on collective responses.

Why land matters for trade 

Many global value chains depend directly or indirectly on healthy land. Food and agriculture are the most obvious examples, but the connection goes further. Textiles, natural ingredients, construction materials, tourism and other sectors all rely on functioning ecosystems. Drought and land degradation can also disrupt water, energy and transport systems.

For small businesses, these shocks are hard to absorb. At the same time, small businesses are driving many of the solutions — from land restoration and water management to circular production and resource-efficient technologies.

But to scale, they need customers, finance, partners and enabling conditions.

That is why the International Trade Centre (ITC) is at COP17 with a delegation of entrepreneurs from the Youth Ecopreneur Programme (YECO).

Scaling solutions that already work 

YECO, a joint initiative of ITC and the UNCCD / G20 Global Land Initiative, supports young entrepreneurs running businesses that respond to environmental challenges.

The entrepreneurs attending COP17 are already operating across land restoration, circular production, sustainable agriculture and technology. They are not presenting ideas – they are scaling real businesses.

At COP17, they will engage with policymakers, investors and partners on what helps restoration businesses grow, where finance is still missing, and how to reach new markets.

Throughout the conference, the delegation will contribute to discussions on youth innovation, the business case for land restoration and the finance needed to scale restoration enterprises.

Want to join the conversation? Explore ITC’s COP17 event page to see where to find us and discover all sessions involving ITC and the YECO delegation.

Land, climate and biodiversity are connected 

The Land COP sits alongside the UN climate and biodiversity COPs. While their mandates differ, the challenges are deeply interconnected.

Climate change can intensify drought. Degraded land is more vulnerable to extreme weather. Healthy ecosystems support carbon storage, biodiversity and water regulation.

For businesses and communities, these links translate into disrupted supply chains, higher costs and greater uncertainty.

As the United Nations agency focused on small businesses and trade, ITC works with small businesses across developing and transition economies.

Land restoration is not only about restoring hectares. It is about protecting the natural systems economies depend on — and helping businesses with proven solutions reach the scale where they can make a difference.

Intercontinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa Debuts Saltwood, a New Bistro-Style Dining Experience

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Intercontinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa Debuts Saltwood, a New Bistro-Style Dining Experience

PORTSMOUTH, Dominica – InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa, a 131-room luxury resort surrounded by the natural beauty of Cabrits National Park, announces the opening of Saltwood, a new refined bistro-style dining destination that brings a fresh, elevated culinary experience to Dominica. Complementing the resort’s four outdoor pools, expansive Téya Wellness Sanctuary and collection of locally inspired culinary experiences, Saltwood introduces a carefully curated menu of bistro classics and premium specialties, paired with a sophisticated wine list and craft cocktail program in an inviting setting designed for leisurely afternoons and relaxed evenings.

“Saltwood represents an important evolution of the resort’s culinary journey, bringing together elevated bistro-style cuisine, thoughtfully selected ingredients and the warmth of Dominican hospitality,” said Ramy Haykal, General Manager at InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa. “Every element has been designed to create a sense of connection, inviting resort guests and the local community to gather over memorable food, engaging conversation and evenings that reflect the spirit of the destination.”

Saltwood’s menu brings together comforting favorites and locally inspired flavors. Highlights include Roasted Salmon en Papillote prepared with local herbs, fennel, lemongrass and coconut cream; Braised Beef Stew served in a rich dark rum gravy with mashed yam and roasted root vegetables; Baked Cordon Bleu featuring chicken breast stuffed with smoked ham and Emmental; and Chicken Parmigiana topped with Napolitana tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. The menu also offers freshly prepared sandwiches, signature tartines, savory pies, lasagna and premium steaks.

Guests can complete their meal with a selection of desserts, including a decadent toffee pudding and mascarpone-inspired specialties. Saltwood’s beverage program offers something for every palate, with cocktails, mocktails, fine wines, beers, premium spirits and soft beverages.

The opening of Saltwood marks another milestone for InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa as the property continues to expand its culinary experiences. The new restaurant joins the resort’s existing collection of dining venues, including Cabrits Market, Kwéyòl Restaurant and Rumfire Bar.

Saltwood is open Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.

The currency of the digital economy is trust

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The currency of the digital economy is trust
    • Artificial intelligence may dominate today’s headlines, but technology alone will not determine its success. The digital economy ultimately depends on something far less visible: trust. It is trust that gives people the confidence to embrace innovation, allows businesses to invest and enables economies to work together across borders.

By Eduardo Pedrosa

For almost three months, I unknowingly paid a recurring charge that I believed was legitimate. It appeared on my credit card statement under a familiar-looking merchant name, raised no obvious red flags and blended into the dozens of transactions we make every month. Only when I looked more closely did I realise I had been the victim of an online scam.

Like many people, I consider myself reasonably careful online. Yet the experience was a timely reminder that in today’s digital economy, trust can be exploited just as easily as technology can be advanced.

That lesson stayed with me throughout APEC Digital Weeks in Chengdu last month.

Much of the week’s discussion centered on artificial intelligence (AI), data and the future of the digital economy. But beneath every conversation lay a much simpler question: how do we build digital systems that people can trust?

It is tempting to think of trust as something intangible. Yet it is every bit as important to the digital economy as roads are to trade or ports are to shipping. Without trust, people hesitate to share data, businesses delay investment and new technologies struggle to gain acceptance.

Innovation may move quickly, but adoption depends on confidence. In many ways, trust has become the invisible infrastructure of the digital economy.

Before AI had a name

Everyone seems to think the age of AI arrived overnight.

One day we were using the internet to search for information and send emails. The next, AI was writing reports, translating languages, supporting medical diagnoses and helping businesses make decisions. The pace of change feels extraordinary, and in many ways it is. But technological revolutions rarely begin on the day they capture public attention.

When APEC was established in 1989, few people imagined a world connected by smartphones, cloud computing or AI. Yet less than a year later, member economies created the Telecommunications and Information Working Group, recognizing that digital connectivity would become an increasingly important driver of economic development across the Asia-Pacific. Looking back today, that decision appears remarkably forward-looking.

The technologies have changed beyond recognition, but APEC’s underlying purpose has remained consistent, and that is to help economies use technology to strengthen growth, expand opportunity and improve people’s lives.

AI is not a departure from that journey. It is the latest chapter in it.

From connectivity to capability

The scale of the region’s digital transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.

When China last hosted APEC in 2014, just over half of people across the Asia-Pacific were using the internet. Today, almost 90 percent are online, representing nearly 1.2 billion additional people connected in just one decade.

That success also changes the conversation. For many years, the region’s priority was expanding connectivity. Today, connectivity is increasingly the foundation rather than the destination.

The next challenge is ensuring that those digital foundations translate into greater productivity, stronger public services and wider economic opportunity.

AI is already becoming part of that transition. Manufacturers are improving productivity. Doctors are gaining new tools to support diagnosis and treatment. Researchers are accelerating scientific discovery. Small businesses are reaching customers far beyond their local markets, while governments are exploring new ways to deliver more responsive public services.

The greatest impact of AI may not come through dramatic breakthroughs that dominate headlines. It may come through thousands of practical improvements that quietly make businesses more competitive, public services more effective and everyday life a little easier.

Trust is the real infrastructure

Yet as the conversations unfolded, another theme became impossible to ignore: data.

AI depends on data. The quality of its outputs, the reliability of its decisions and the confidence people place in it are all shaped by the quality, availability and responsible use of data. As AI becomes more capable, data is increasingly becoming the foundation on which digital innovation is built.

But data does not create value simply because it exists. It creates value when people and businesses have the confidence to share, use and exchange it responsibly. That means protecting privacy, strengthening cybersecurity, promoting transparency and building governance frameworks that encourage innovation while maintaining public trust.

Finding that balance will not look the same in every economy.

The Asia-Pacific is one of the world’s most diverse regions, with different legal systems, regulatory approaches and levels of digital development. Those differences are not obstacles to cooperation. They are precisely why cooperation matters.

Throughout its history, APEC has never sought to impose a single model. Instead, it has provided a platform where economies exchange practical experience, learn from one another and improve interoperability while respecting different domestic approaches.

That collaborative approach has helped the region navigate successive waves of technological change, and it will remain just as important as data becomes an increasingly strategic resource for the AI era.

Preparing for what comes next

One lesson stayed with me after our discussions in Chengdu.

When APEC established its telecommunications workstream in 1990, nobody was planning for generative AI. Nobody imagined smartphones would become powerful computers in our pockets or that data would emerge as one of the world’s most valuable economic resources.

Yet the institutions and relationships built over those years made it easier for economies to adapt as each new wave of technology arrived.

Thirty-five years from now, today’s technologies may seem just as primitive as fax machines and dial-up internet now appear to us. AI will continue to evolve. New technologies will emerge. New policy questions will replace those we debate today.

The real challenge, therefore, is not simply preparing for the next technological breakthrough. It is building the habits of cooperation that allow us to respond together when that breakthrough arrives.

Thinking back to my own experience of being scammed online, I realised that the lesson was never really about technology. The scam itself was enabled by technology. The solution, however, depends on trust.

Trust in secure digital systems. Trust in institutions. Trust that innovation can continue while people remain protected. Technology will continue to change, just as it always has. Trust must evolve with it.

If the past three decades have taught us anything, it is that lasting digital prosperity depends not only on innovation, but also on our willingness to cooperate, learn from one another and build confidence across borders.

That may prove to be APEC’s greatest contribution to the digital future of the Asia-Pacific.

  • Eduardo Pedrosa is the Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat. He is an expert on regional economic cooperation working on a diverse range of issues including trade, finance, digitalisation, climate change and structural reform.
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