The Honourable Kennedy Swaratsingh, Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and Minister in the Ministry of Finance, is leading Trinidad and Tobago’s delegation at the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Annual Meetings in his capacity as Governor for Trinidad and Tobago on the Boards of Governors of the IDB and IDB Invest.
The Sixty-sixth Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank and the Fortieth Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Inter-American Investment Corporation takes place in Asunción, Paraguay, from March 11 to 14, 2026.
This year’s delegation reflects a coordinated effort between the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and the Ministry of Finance, highlighting the Government’s strengthened, whole-of-government approach to engagement with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). This collaborative approach is aimed at ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago maximises the strategic and developmental benefits as a member state of the IDB.
The current delegation comprises officials from both ministries, including Ms. Omatee Geawan-Ramdass, Counsellor for Trinidad and Tobago in the Office of the Executive Director for the Caribbean Constituency; Ms. Karen Boodan, Senior Legal Advisor, Ministry of Finance and Ms. Renika Huggins, Debt Economic Analyst in the Debt Management Division, Ministry of Finance.
Minister Swaratsingh noted that the Meetings offer an important opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to engage with its longest-standing developmental finance partner and to identify practical responses to the country’s key growth and development challenges. He further emphasised that discussions at this year’s Meetings will focus significantly on accelerating economic growth and development through greater private sector engagement, a priority that aligns closely with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s mandate to promote sustainable growth, investment and economic transformation.
The Planning and Economic Affairs Minister will use the margins of the Annual Meetings in Paraguay to convene a series of high-level bilateral discussions, including meetings with IDB President Ilan Goldfajn, the General Manager of IDB Invest James Scriven and the newly appointed General Manager of IDB Lab Graham Macmillan. There will also be a series of engagements with other senior members of the Bank’s management team and representatives of other participating institutions.
These discussions will address matters of strategic importance to Trinidad and Tobago, including options related to development financing and debt management, as well as opportunities to deepen partnerships that support the country’s current development agenda. The engagements come at an opportune time, as the current IDB Country Strategy for Trinidad and Tobago concludes this year and consultations begin on priority areas that will shape the next Country Strategy, which is expected to enter preparation in the near term.
This year’s Meetings also mark Minister Swaratsingh’s first participation in the IDB Annual Meetings in his capacity as Governor for Trinidad and Tobago, providing an important platform to advance the country’s policy priorities and strengthen engagement with the leadership of the Bank and key regional partners.
The Meetings bring together the Governors, who are primarily Ministers of Finance, Presidents of Central Banks and other senior authorities to facilitate structured deliberations and the adoption of resolutions addressing the development challenges and priorities of Latin America and the Caribbean.
About the IDB Annual Meetings
The Annual Meetings are the highest decision-making forum of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, bringing together Governors representing the institution’s 48 member countries to review the Bank’s work, determine its strategic direction, and approve key policy and operational decisions.
The Meetings also convene senior representatives from multilateral financial institutions, development agencies, private financial institutions, credit rating agencies, and civil society organizations, providing an important platform for dialogue, partnership, and coordination in support of the development priorities of Latin America and the Caribbean.
About the IDB Group
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is the leading source of financing and knowledge for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. It comprises the IDB, which works with the region’s public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation.
