CAF Strengthens Digital Governance Capacity in 13 Caribbean countries

Digital transformation must be treated not as an option, but as a gateway to sustainability in the Caribbean. CAF’s Director Representative in Trinidad and Tobago, Bernardo Requena, believes digitalization is a powerful enabler of economic resilience, social inclusion, and climate adaptation.

“Digital technologies can help the Caribbean leapfrog legacy challenges. They open doors for innovation in public service delivery, disaster risk management, and even access to global markets,” Requena noted. “CAF sees digital transformation as a gateway to sustainable development, and we are proud to support this process with agile financing, partnerships, and technical expertise.”

Requena reinforced the benefits of a robust digital transformation strategy as he addressed the opening of the second edition of the School of Digital Transformation and Innovation for the Caribbean held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

Organized in collaboration with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), The University of the West Indies, and other regional partners, the initiative brought together senior policymakers and practitioners from thirteen Caribbean countries to explore concrete pathways to advance inclusive, secure, and interoperable digital ecosystems in the countries and across region.

The programme welcomes policymakers from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Suriname.

The School of Digital Transformation was launched in 2023 through a partnership between CAF, CTU, and ECLAC, with the goal of strengthening institutional capacity for digital governance, digital public infrastructure (DPI), and data-driven innovation. Now in its second edition, the program is equipping government officials with the skills, tools, and policy insights needed to build resilient, future-ready digital societies.

Requena noted that CAF’s support goes beyond infrastructure investment. “It is about shaping the regulatory environment, advancing regional interoperability, and empowering people to access digital services securely and equitably. Our focus is on building ecosystems that work for everyone.”

“Digital transformation offers us more than recovery, it offers reinvention. It empowers us to build more resilient, agile and future-ready economies. These concepts are at the heart of CAF’s support in the region,” he added.

During the week-long programme, CAF officials Alejandro Forero, Specialist of the Directorate of Digital Transformation and Emily Carrera Digital, Transformation Executive presented on a number of topics including, Best Practices and Challenges in Developing Ethical and Regulatory Frameworks for AI, AI and Productivity Development, Financing Data Centres for Regional Development, Finance for Digital Transformation, among other critical topics.

Over the past six years, CAF has invested more than USD 2.8 billion in digital infrastructure and services across Latin America and the Caribbean. In Trinidad and Tobago, this includes a USD 120 million digital government program and a recently approved loan to develop a Tier IV national data center. In partnership with CTU and ECLAC, CAF is also advancing a regional roadmap for interoperable digital ID and payment systems tailored to small island states.

The school of Digital Transformation and Innovation for the Caribbean is co-organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN ECLAC), CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), CETIC.br/NIC.br, The University of the West Indies (UWI), and the Internet Technical Community—including LACNIC, ICANN, the Internet Society, LACTLD, LAC-IX, ARIN and RedCLARA.