CDB President: Caribbean has arrived at ‘decade of decision’

Published on March 9, 2026

President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB, the Bank), Mr. Daniel M. Best, has unveiled a transformative agenda to position the Region for long-term resilience, calling this period the Caribbean’s “decade of decision.”

Speaking at the Bank’s Annual News Conference on March 3, President Best revealed that between 2024 and 2033, the Region will need an estimated US$65.2 billion to prevent economic stagnation.

In February, the Bank’s Board approved its Strategic Plan 2026–2035, a decade-long framework designed to keep the institution agile in an increasingly volatile environment.

The Plan is built on three interconnected pillars: Social Resilience, Economic Resilience, and Environmental Resilience.

Operationally, the Bank will sharpen its focus on Youth, Institutions, and Climate Action.

With half the Region’s population under 30, investments will expand skills development, entrepreneurship, and employment pathways.

Regarding climate action, Best noted “Our region requires approximately US$14 billion annually for climate response but mobilises less than 10% of that. At CDB, we are committing 30% of our total financing and 35% of our Special Development Fund resources to climate adaptation and mitigation.”