By Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

For years, Caribbean families have endured relentless increases in the cost of food, fuel, housing and everyday essentials. Now, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions says the worst of those inflationary pressures may finally be easing.

The African Trade Report 2026, published by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), shows inflation across Latin America and the Caribbean fell sharply from 16.6 percent in 2024 to 7.6 percent in 2025. The report compares economic performance across the world’s major regions, placing Latin America and the Caribbean alongside Africa, Asia, Europe and advanced economies.

The figures suggest regional price pressures have moderated considerably after several years of high inflation driven by supply chain disruptions, rising energy costs and global economic uncertainty.

Consumers, however, should not expect prices to suddenly return to pre-pandemic levels.

Economists note that lower inflation does not mean goods and services become cheaper. Rather, it means prices are continuing to rise, but at a much slower pace than before. That distinction helps explain why many Caribbean households may still feel the strain at the supermarket, petrol station and on utility bills despite improving economic indicators.

The report also points to a relatively stable regional economy. Gross domestic product growth for Latin America and the Caribbean held steady at 2.4 percent in both 2024 and 2025, suggesting economic expansion continues, albeit at a modest pace.

For Caribbean governments, the findings provide cautious encouragement. Lower inflation can reduce pressure on household budgets, improve consumer confidence and give central banks greater flexibility as they balance economic growth with price stability.

Perhaps most intriguing is the source of the analysis.

Rather than coming from a traditional Western financial institution, the assessment comes from Africa’s premier trade finance bank. The report treats Latin America and the Caribbean as an important global economic region and repeatedly highlights the growing importance of ties between Africa and its diaspora, including the Caribbean. It argues that stronger economic, trade and investment relationships across what it calls “Global Africa” could become a powerful driver of shared prosperity in the years ahead.

For Caribbean readers, the report offers more than encouraging inflation figures.

It provides an outside perspective on the region’s economic performance and serves as a reminder that the Caribbean is increasingly being viewed not only as a tourism destination, but also as an emerging partner in trade, investment and global development conversations.

As governments continue searching for ways to ease the cost of living, Africa’s latest economic report suggests there is at least one reason for cautious optimism: the pace of price increases across the Caribbean is finally beginning to slow.

Whitehouse, Westmoreland, Jamaica – June 11, 2026 — As part of activities commemorating World Environment Day, 28 students from New Hope Primary and Kings Primary School joined farmers, Forestry Department representatives, environmental wardens, and the Sandals Foundation to plant fruit trees in Whitehouse, Westmoreland. The activity forms part of the Foundation’s support of Jamaica’s national RE-LEAF (Reforestation, Ecological Enhancement and Landscape Framework) Initiative. As part of its commitment, the philanthropic organization has distributed 360 fruit trees to schools and farmers to aid landscape restoration and food security efforts.

A variety of food trees including breadfruit, ackee, jackfruit, mango, avocado, soursop, and Otaheite apple were distributed to Culloden Early Childhood Institution, Whitehouse Basic School, New Hope Primary School, Kings Primary School, Petersville Primary School, and Petersville Early Childhood Institution as well as to members of the Westmoreland Organic Farmers Association to increase access to locally grown produce.

Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, said the Organization’s choice of trees was a deliberate effort to build the resilience of the communities. “We chose fruit trees because in addition to helping to restore green space sand biodiversity, they sustain a community’s food security. ”

Recently, Whitehouse farmers joined students of Kings and New Hope Primary School students, Forestry Department representatives, and Sandals Foundation environmental wardens to plant 20 trees – demonstrating a community approach to their landscape restoration efforts.

“Reforestation is about much more than planting trees,” said Georgia Scarlett, Environmental Manager at the Sandals Foundation. ” It is also about ensuring future generations understand their role in protecting the natural resources that sustain our communities. By placing fruit trees in schools and farming communities, we are creating opportunities for learning, nourishment, and long-term environmental stewardship.

For Caribbean communities facing growing pressure on food systems, green spaces, and natural resources, the project offers a practical model for local action. By placing fruit trees in schools and farming communities, the initiative gives residents more than seedlings. It gives them a direct role in producing food, restoring shade, and protecting the environment their children will inherit.

PHOTO CAPTION:

L-R: Dian Holgate, representative of the Forestry Department; Georgia Scarlett, Environmental Project Manager of the Sandals Foundation; Kings Primary School teacher O’Shea Lawrence; farmer, Barbara Stewart, and students Chloe Robinson and Reshaina Samuels of Kings Primary School participate in a tree-planting activity in Whitehouse, Westmoreland. The initiative formed part of the RE-LEAF programme, which distributed 360 fruit trees to schools and farmers across the community.

By Deandrea Hamilton

The Bahamas, June 9, 2026 – The Caribbean Development Bank’s annual gathering may have concluded in The Bahamas, but attention is already turning to Belize as leadership of the institution’s Board of Governors officially changed hands.

At the close of the 56th Annual Meeting in Nassau, outgoing Chairman and CDB Governor for The Bahamas, Michael Halkitis, formally transferred the chairmanship to Belize’s Dr. Hon. Osmond Martinez, continuing the Bank’s tradition of rotating leadership among its regional shareholders.

The handover capped a week of discussions focused on financing development in an increasingly uncertain global environment and strengthening the Caribbean’s ability to withstand economic and climate-related shocks.

One of the meeting’s most closely watched conversations centered on how multilateral development banks can better support vulnerable Small Island Developing States.

During the President’s Chat, titled Financing the Future: MDB Strategies for Uncertain Times, CDB President Daniel Best joined leaders from the OPEC Fund, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage to discuss expanding development finance and building resilience.

OPEC Fund President Dr. Abdulhamid Alkhalifa emphasized that development institutions must move beyond responding to crises and instead help countries prepare for them.

“The real test is whether we can help countries move from strategy to implementation, and from implementation to results,” Alkhalifa said.

The discussions reflected a growing regional push for innovative financing solutions as Caribbean nations continue to confront climate vulnerability, infrastructure demands and economic uncertainty.

Beyond discussions on financing and resilience, the Annual Meeting also featured youth engagement activities, including the Youth FIRE Forum, where young Caribbean leaders participated in conversations about innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership and the future of regional development. Senior government officials, development professionals and youth delegates exchanged ideas on the challenges and opportunities facing the next generation, reinforcing a recurring message throughout the conference: that investments made today must ultimately improve opportunities for Caribbean youth tomorrow.

That theme was echoed by Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis, who used the opening ceremony to challenge regional leaders to invest in future generations.

“We must invest in the one asset that no agency can ever downgrade, and that no storm can ever wash away: the mind of a Caribbean child,” Davis told delegates.

With Belize now assuming the chairmanship, regional leaders say the focus remains on transforming ideas discussed in Nassau into tangible results for Caribbean people.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.