BRIDGETOWN, Barbados:  Reducing the Caribbean's dependence on imported fossil fuels, cutting energy costs for businesses and households, and unlocking the Region's vast renewable energy potential will be a central focus of a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB / the Bank) seminar titled "Energy Transition: The Key to a More Resilient Caribbean", scheduled for Thursday, June 4, 2026 at  
9:00 AM AST.  

As one of the most highly anticipated sessions of CDB’s upcoming 56th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, to be held June 1-5, 2026 in Nassau, The Bahamas, the 90-minute seminar will feature a conversation that promises to be as timely as it is transformative. Experts will deep dive into why accelerating the shift to clean energy is far more than an environmental imperative; but rather a defining strategic priority with far-reaching implications for fiscal stability, job creation, and social equity across the region. 

Speaking on the relevance of the session for the Region, Mr. William Ashby, Division Chief (Ag.), Economic Infrastructure Division, CDB, explained, “This seminar comes as our Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) face average commercial electricity prices of US$ 0.37 per kilowatt-hour, which is nearly three times the United States national average. This stark reality places a severe burden on micro, small, and medium enterprises and constrains economic competitiveness across the Caribbean.” 

The Bank advises that an estimated US$ 11 billion in clean energy investment is required across the Region between 2020 and 2030 to meet nationally determined targets, making coordinated action and innovative financing more urgent than ever.

The session will bring together policymakers, financiers, and energy leaders to chart a course of action. Discussions will span regulatory reforms to improve the bankability of renewable energy projects, blended financing models to mobilise private investment, grid modernisation for climate-vulnerable island systems, and regional cooperation opportunities. The Bank will also showcase its track record in advancing the energy transition across BMCs as a foundation for scaling up support under its 2026–2035 Strategic Plan, Transforming the Caribbean for Resilience. The seminar will culminate in a set of priority actions and stakeholder commitments to advance the energy transition across BMCs over the next 12 to 24 months. 

Featured panellists will include The Honourable Kerrie Symmonds, Minister of Energy, Business Development and Commerce, and Senior Minister coordinating the Productive Sector, Barbados, who will offer insights into advancing the energy transition at the intersection of energy policy, economic development, and investment, drawing on Barbados' landmark Energy Transition and Investment Plan. Ms. Toni Seymour, Chief Executive Officer of Bahamas Power and Light Company (BPL), will bring a utility transformation perspective, leading the national utility's drive toward more resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy systems across The Bahamas. Dr. Mohammad Rafik Nagdee, Executive Director of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), will speak on country-level support, project pipelines, and accessing concessional and blended finance. Rounding out the panel will be Dr. Timothy N. J. Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), who will bring a regional economic resilience perspective to the conversation on financing the clean energy transformation. 

The seminar aligns with the 56th Annual Meeting’s overarching theme, “Forging the Caribbean’s Future: Strategic Solutions for Uncertain Times,” which focuses on building regional capacity to navigate global economic volatility, fiscal pressures, and escalating climate risks.  

All public sessions will be livestreamed on CDB’s YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook channels, ensuring that this critical dialogue on energy, resilience, and regional development reaches audiences across the Caribbean and beyond. “Energy Transition: The Key to a More Resilient Caribbean” will be broadcast on Thursday June 4, 2026 from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM AST. 

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