The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will tackle an issue deemed one of the region’s most persistent development roadblocks—slow and inefficient project implementation—during the 55th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in Brasília, Brazil, from June 9–12.

Referred to as “implementation deficit”, the challenging subject matter will be the central focus of a high-level seminar to be held on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, titled “Accelerating Project Implementation to Reduce Poverty”. During the seminar, the CDB will present critical findings from a recently commissioned study that identifies systemic bottlenecks impeding the conversion of development financing into tangible results.

The session will bring together experts and stakeholders to examine capacity constraints, procedural inefficiencies, and policy misalignments that continue to stall progress across the Caribbean and offer strategic solutions to fast-track delivery.

“Effective project implementation is fundamental when it comes to driving transformational change in any sector and for CDB to achieve its overarching goal of ‘Reducing Poverty and Transforming Lives through Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Development’,” CDB Vice-President of Operations Isaac Solomon.

“We are looking forward to sharing the report findings and working more effectively with our partners as we continue to deliver results and improve the lives of the Caribbean people.”

A panel of experts from the Caribbean region, Brazil and the United Kingdom will share strategies and recommendations to enhance project implementation, including strengthening institutional capacity, effective project management, streamlining procurement processes, improved stakeholder coordination, and stronger cooperation among CDB’s 19 Borrowing Member Countries.

“Across the Caribbean, several issues have been identified as contributing to project implementation delays. These delays increase our vulnerability to natural hazards, climate change effects, and other external shocks, and impede progress towards the achievement of national and regional development goals and the Sustainable Development Goals,” revealed L O’Reilly Lewis, the bank’s acting director of projects.

“This seminar will provide a platform for the Bank, clients and stakeholders to discuss strategic solutions, share best practices, and strengthen commitments to address critical gaps.”

Panelists include Dr Stacy Richards Kennedy, regional manager for the Caribbean at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF); Dr Wayne Henry, executive director, Planning Institute of Jamaica; Dr Ana Euler, executive director of Innovation, Business and Technology Transfer at Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation; Dr Alexander Budzier, CEO, Oxford Global Projects, and Fellow in Management Practice, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford; and Mr. Cecil Harris, project manager,

Economic and Planning Division, Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The CDB’s 55th Annual Meeting will be held under the theme ‘Building the Future: Resilient Institutions for a Greener, Stronger, and Inclusive Caribbean’. The proceedings will be live-streamed on CDB’s website, as well as on the Bank’s LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube channels.