Antigua and Barbuda have expressed its intention to join the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF).

This decision was formalized when Prime Minister Gaston Brown signed a declaration of intent on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), taking place in Antigua and Barbuda.

Prime Minister Brown stated, “We are very pleased to announce Antigua and Barbuda’s intention to join CAF.

We are fully aligned and prepared to collaborate on the opportunities that CAF can offer to small Caribbean islands like Antigua and Barbuda, in order to enhance the well-being of their residents.”

In response, CAF issued a statement noting that Antigua and Barbuda’s decision to join CAF would provide the country with expanded options for development financing, leveraging CAF’s technical expertise, financial resources, and knowledge services.

This move also signifies CAF’s growing presence in the Caribbean.
Sergio Díaz-Granados, the Executive President of CAF, emphasized that the increasing partnership between Antigua and Barbuda and CAF highlights the commitment to providing Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with new development financing options.

This, in turn, aims to address development issues affecting their communities.

The growing confidence of Caribbean countries in CAF underscores the organization’s ability to provide swift and innovative financing solutions for the benefit of their citizens.

It’s worth noting that CAF currently has twenty-one member countries, including Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.