Caribbean Calls for Stronger IPA-SEZ Partnerships at World Investment Forum 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DOHA, Qatar, 27 October 2026 - The Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) called for closer cooperation between investment promotion agencies (IPAs) and special economic zones (SEZs) at the Executive Round Table on “Navigating a New Investment Era: The Role of IPAs and SEZs”, held at the UNCTAD World Investment Forum 2026 in Doha.

Speaking on behalf of CAIPA’s 24 member countries, CAIPA President and Invest Barbados CEO Ms. Kaye Greenidge said that geopolitics, supply-chain shifts, new technology and the green transition are changing where and how companies invest. With the global minimum tax reducing the power of tax incentives, small economies must now compete on quality.

“Small economies will not win this new era by offering the lowest tax. We will win by being coordinated, credible and ready to deliver,” said Ms. Greenidge. “A zone strategy that is not aligned with investment promotion is a promise without a delivery mechanism. And an investment promotion strategy without strong, credible zones is a promise without a platform.”

Ms. Greenidge noted that 18 of the Caribbean’s 33 jurisdictions have zone regimes, with more than 300 zones across the region. She highlighted the Caribbean Special Economic Zone Association (Cari-SEZA), whose vision was launched in Panama in May 2026 with founding members from six countries, CAIPA and the World Free Zones Organization. CAIPA co-authored the framework with Jamaica’s Special Economic Zone Authority. Through Cari-SEZA, agencies and zone authorities will work together on shared data, common investor standards, joint aftercare and flagship regional projects.

She also proposed three zone models built on Caribbean strengths:

• Agro parks - farm and processing zones with shared irrigation, cold storage and logistics to boost food security and supply hotels.
• Tourism zones - planned, higher-value destinations for wellness, heritage, sports and creative industries.
• Blue economy zones - port-linked zones for marine services, aquaculture, seaweed and sargassum products.

CAIPA extended two invitations. It invited the African Economic Zones Organization (AEZO) and the Global Alliance of Special Economic Zones (GASEZ) to explore an Africa - Caribbean zone corridor. It also invited UNCTAD, WAIPA, the OECD and UNIDO to help build a joint IPA - SEZ toolkit, a regional zone dataset, training for newer zone regimes and a first regional SEZ pilot in the ocean economy or agro-industry.

“The Caribbean is ready. We invite you to partner with us,” Ms. Greenidge concluded.

About CAIPA

The Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA) brings together the investment promotion agencies of 24 Caribbean countries to strengthen the region’s capacity to attract, facilitate and retain sustainable investment. Learn more at www.investincaribbean.org