Caribbean Export Development Agency has won a 2026 United Nations Investment Promotion Award for a regional approach that connects Caribbean investment projects with international capital.
The award was presented at the ninth World Investment Forum in Doha, Qatar, on 25 October. Caribbean Export was one of five winners selected from 48 entries across 40 countries, according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
For Jamaica, the recognition includes a practical example of cross-border business: a technology partnership between Jamaica’s Amber Group and Guyana’s Beharry Group that Caribbean Export says grew out of connections made at the Caribbean Investment Forum in Jamaica in 2025.
A regional investment platform
UNCTAD recognised Caribbean Export for its work through the Caribbean Investment Forum, which presents investment-ready projects and connects them with international investors. The awards focused on investment in the digital economy and contributions to sustainable development.
The forum’s approach is to promote the Caribbean as a connected investment destination, rather than treating each small market separately. UNCTAD said the platform showcased 30 projects with a combined investment pipeline of more than US$170 million between 2022 and 2025.
In its announcement on 26 October, Caribbean Export reported a larger total covering 2022 to 2026: 38 projects and a pipeline exceeding US$220 million. The agency said the forum had attracted more than 2,500 participants from over 50 countries and facilitated more than 600 structured business-to-business and investor meetings over that period.
Those figures describe projects promoted and an investment pipeline, not a claim that the full amount has already been invested.
A Jamaica-Guyana connection
Caribbean Export pointed to Beharry-Amber Technologies Inc. as an example of the forum’s commercial impact. The agency said the joint venture between the Beharry Group and Amber Group was formalised in January 2026, following connections facilitated at the 2025 forum in Jamaica.
The venture provides IT and cybersecurity services. It offers a concrete example of how regional business links can support the Caribbean’s digital economy beyond the conference floor.
Leo Naut, Caribbean Export’s Deputy Executive Director, accepted the award on the agency’s behalf. Executive Director Dr. Damie Sinanan said it reflected the value of a shared regional approach.
“For too long, our economies have been perceived individually as small markets. Through the Caribbean Investment Forum, we have demonstrated that by combining our strengths, preparing bankable investment opportunities and engaging investors strategically, we can position the region as a competitive destination for global capital.”
Leo Naut (third from left) joins other award recipients and Acting UNCTAD Secretary-General Pedro Manuel Moreno (third from right) at the ceremony in Doha. Photo supplied by Caribbean Export Development Agency.
What comes next
The forum is organised by Caribbean Export with European Union support under the Global Gateway initiative. Its investment areas include digital transformation, sustainable agriculture, the green economy, and logistics and transportation. The agency also works with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to help prepare projects for investment.
Caribbean Export said the 2026 forum in Barbados attracted more than 450 registered participants and showcased US$39 million in projects. Preparations are underway for the 2027 forum in the Dominican Republic.
The other 2026 award recipients were the Ethiopian Investment Commission, Invest KOREA, Invest Qatar and Morocco’s Tanger Med Zones.
Reporting based on Caribbean Export’s 26 October announcement and UNCTAD’s award announcement. Photographs supplied by Caribbean Export Development Agency.
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