SENIOR Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, has called for expanded collaboration with the World Bank Group to deploy digital solutions aimed at improving educational outcomes across Guyana and the wider Caribbean.

According to a statement, Dr Singh speaking during a Caribbean Governors’ Meeting with the bank’s Managing Director for Operations, Anna Bjerde, at the 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington DC, underscored the importance of investing in human capital to match Guyana’s rapid economic transformation.

He highlighted opportunities for closer co-operation in the education sector, particularly through the use of digital tools to target gaps in access and quality, where improvements are most urgently needed. The minister said such collaboration would be key to ensuring a workforce equipped with the skills required in a fast-growing economy.

While acknowledging the World Bank’s long-standing support to the Region, Dr Singh pointed to the Caribbean’s unique vulnerabilities, including the impacts of climate change and the structural limitations faced by small economies.

He stressed that these challenges can only be addressed through sustained investment in infrastructure and policy reforms to unlock greater trade opportunities.

Dr Singh also lobbied the bank to scale up its support for private-sector development, particularly through financial instruments that can mobilise investment in Guyana’s expanding economy. He called for a renewed sense of urgency in advancing these initiatives.

On the sidelines of the meetings, Dr Singh signed the World Bank Group Establishment Agreement with the International Finance Corporation, on behalf of the Government of Guyana. The agreement was signed alongside IFC Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Alfonso Garcia Mora.

The agreement is expected to deepen the World Bank Group’s engagement with Guyana’s private sector, strengthening its capacity to support more resilient and inclusive economic growth.

In his remarks, Dr Singh welcomed the IFC’s ongoing support, but emphasised the need for more tangible results, particularly as Guyana undergoes a period of rapid economic expansion.