SIX Heads of Government from the Caribbean and Central America have confirmed that they will be participating in the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, which is scheduled for next week at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal.

This information was confirmed during a meeting between President Dr. Irfaan Ali and senior officials of the Ministries of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on Thursday at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive.

The leaders set to travel for the May 19-21 event are from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.
Ministers responsible for agriculture from The Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Vincent, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago are also expected for the three-day event.

The opening ceremony is billed for next Thursday, and will feature remarks from all of the visiting Heads of Government. President Ali, in his capacity as Lead Head with responsibility for Agriculture in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet, will deliver his address on the theme, “Vision 25 by 2025”.

This event is being hosted by the Government of Guyana, in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat, and is intended to provide stimulating investments in the sector to transform the CARICOM agri-food system to one that is resilient, provides attractive and sustainable economic opportunities for investors, while contributing to food and nutrition security.

The specific objectives of the event are:

* Promoting the regional food system agenda and 25 by 2025 programme;

* Facilitating dialogue among stakeholders in the CARICOM agri-food system, with a view to identifying specific areas in which investment is needed to overcome existing structural and operational challenges;

* Making potential investors and other stakeholders aware of new and emerging opportunities in CARICOM agriculture, including technological and logistical solutions;

* Matching bankable agricultural projects with available private and public financing; and

* Forging a coordination mechanism for strategic partners to follow up on implementation issues surrounding financing for the sector.

Aside from regional leaders and dignitaries, over 300 persons from across the region have registered to participate in the event, inclusive of investors, proponents of bankable projects seeking financing, financing institutions, as well as development agencies.

The event will feature a number of key investment-related activities, inclusive of a country-specific investment platform that will see investors presenting bankable projects for investment consideration in specific CARICOM Member States.

Additionally, there will be a Donor Roundtable Discussion where development financing agencies, bilateral and multilateral donors will focus on finding and supporting novel ideas and solutions within the context of the “25 by 2025 programme.”