This week, hundreds of Caribbean technology and digital infrastructure professionals will converge on Willemstad, Curaçao, for the 32nd meeting of the Caribbean Network Operators Group (CaribNOG), an event focused on translating regional digital infrastructure discussions into actionable progress and building long-term digital resilience across the Caribbean. Running from October 7 to 9 at the Courtyard by Marriott, the three-day gathering brings together a cross-sector cohort of stakeholders including network engineers, internet service providers, data centre operators, cloud service managers, cybersecurity experts, government regulators and digital policy makers. The event will combine plenary discussions, hands-on technical training, site visits and collaborative knowledge sharing to address the Caribbean’s most pressing digital connectivity challenges.
The conference follows CaribNOG’s 31st meeting held in Jamaica this past April, which centered on raising awareness of the critical role that robust internet infrastructure plays in the Caribbean’s social and economic stability. For the Curaçao iteration, organizers have shifted focus to concrete, practical steps that stakeholders across the region can take to reinforce that infrastructure, according to Bevil Wooding, CaribNOG co-founder and Director of Caribbean Affairs at the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN).
“Digital resilience is fundamental to the security, reliability and accessibility of the electronic services we have come to depend on for communications, commerce and public service delivery,” Wooding explained. The event’s technical program will dive into deep dives on the core systems that underpin all regional digital services, including satellite communication links, transcontinental submarine cables, regional data centres and the power grids that keep these systems running continuously. Attendees will also get an exclusive opportunity to tour Curaçao’s major data centre facilities and international submarine cable landing stations to view key regional infrastructure firsthand.
Curaçao was selected as the host for this pivotal meeting in large part due to its already established role as a leading hub for Caribbean digital connectivity. The island hosts AMS-IX Caribbean, the regional branch of the world-renowned Amsterdam Internet Exchange, and boasts a growing, interconnected data centre ecosystem that serves more than 14 million users across the region, according to Giovanni King, CEO of BlueNAP Americas and Chairman of the Caribbean Datacenter Association. King emphasized that advancing the region’s digital connectivity cannot be achieved through isolated action by individual island nations or private operators.
“The next phase of Caribbean connectivity cannot be addressed island by island or operator by operator,” King said. He added that long-term goals of regional digital sovereignty and resilience must be embedded into corporate boardroom strategy, updated national regulatory frameworks and core national development planning to deliver meaningful progress.
Beyond technical infrastructure discussions, the conference will also tackle broader policy and governance issues shaping the Caribbean’s digital future. Executives, regulators and policy makers will hold dedicated sessions on digital governance, building public digital trust, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on network management and cybersecurity. A full day of immersive, hands-on technical training will be offered to attendees, covering three high-priority areas: routing security, AI-assisted network administration, and expanding local interconnection between regional networks. Stephen Lee, CEO of regional managed services provider ArkiTechs, noted that the practical training modules are designed to help attendees turn high-level conference discussions into tangible changes they can implement within their own organizations when they return home.
The Curaçao meeting also marks a key institutional transition for CaribNOG itself. After 15 years operating as an entirely volunteer-run community network, the organization is moving to a more formalized institutional structure, adding dedicated program management, structured special project teams and expanded research capacity. CaribNOG leadership says this structural change reflects the growing importance of network operator groups as collaborative spaces where private operators, regulators and policy makers can co-develop shared solutions to regional digital challenges. This Curaçao gathering will be the final meeting held under CaribNOG’s original volunteer-led format, making the event a milestone for the organization as well as the region.
CaribNOG 32 receives sponsorship and support from a range of leading regional and global digital organizations, including ARIN, the Latin American and Caribbean Internet Addresses Registry, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet Society, Packet Clearing House, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, Connected Caribbean, the Caribbean Datacenter Association, ArkiTechs and AMS-IX. Registration for the event is open to the general public and free of charge, though all attendees must complete pre-registration to secure access. Full event details and the complete conference agenda are available through the official CaribNOG website.