A landmark step toward coordinated regional economic development has been taken in the Caribbean, as Grenada-based domestic economic development firm Citez Grenada Ltd. has formalized its role as a founding member of the newly launched Caribbean Special Economic Zone Association (Cari SEZA). The move paves the way for greater Eastern Caribbean representation in the fast-expanding regional movement to upgrade the design, governance, operational performance and global profile of special economic zones (SEZs) across the Caribbean basin.
Cari SEZA operates as an independent, non-governmental not-for-profit entity created to streamline collaboration between Caribbean SEZs, national investment promotion agencies, regional policymakers, and global industry partners. The initiative draws institutional backing from key regional and international stakeholders, including regional government leaders, the World Free Zones Organisation (WFZO), the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA), and the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority — all of which served as lead thought partners and co-developers of the association’s foundational framework.
The Cari SEZA framework was first unveiled to global industry leaders during the WFZO’s 12th Annual World Congress held in Panama City, where it received formal endorsement from dozens of Caribbean SEZs and regional regulatory authorities. Industry observers frame the launch of the association as a critical leap forward for the Caribbean, granting the region a unified, more influential voice in the global free zones ecosystem that shapes global trade and investment trends.
For Citez Grenada, its early membership in Cari SEZA aligns directly with the company’s core mission: positioning the Eastern Caribbean as a competitive strategic hub for cross-border trade, foreign direct investment, business services, tourism, cultural exports, digital technology, workforce development, and next-generation industries. Citez Grenada is currently advancing plans for a large-scale, private-sector-led economic development project spanning more than 100 acres, with a focus on integrated physical infrastructure development, digital business onboarding, end-to-end business support services, investment facilitation, migration-linked business support, workforce upskilling, partnerships with local suppliers, and long-term sustainable enterprise growth.
Cory Zufelt, founder of Citez Grenada Ltd., emphasized that early membership is rooted in a commitment to ensuring Eastern Caribbean interests are centered from the association’s earliest stages. “Grenada has a unique opportunity to help shape the next generation of Caribbean economic zones,” Zufelt explained. “Free zones have evolved far beyond their traditional roots in warehousing, manufacturing, and tax incentives. Today, they function as global platforms for advanced services, digital trade, cross-border investment, tourism development, cultural entrepreneurship, innovation, workforce development, and transparent, sustainable commerce. Citez Grenada is proud to support the launch of Cari SEZA and secure a seat at the table for Grenada as the region builds a more coordinated approach to SEZ development.”
The launch of Cari SEZA comes at a pivotal moment for Caribbean economies, which are actively pursuing new strategies to attract resilient, long-term foreign investment, diversify their economic bases beyond traditional sectors such as commodity exports and mass tourism, and build integrated regional platforms that compete on the global stage. Citez leadership notes that Grenada is well-positioned to play an outsized role in this new chapter by developing a modern, transparent, locally rooted, and globally connected SEZ platform that creates shared value for international investors, local businesses, workers, domestic entrepreneurs, and Grenadians both at home and in the global diaspora.
“Our core goal is to create a model that connects global capital to local opportunity,” Zufelt added. “For Grenada, that means building clear pathways for new business formation, expansion of cultural exports, workforce upskilling, growth of digital services, tourism-linked investment, and scaling of local enterprises. Membership in Cari SEZA strengthens our ability to learn from regional and international peers, collaborate on shared priorities, and align our work with global best practices for SEZ development.”
As a Grenadian-owned economic development firm, Citez Grenada focuses exclusively on building integrated platforms to support trade, investment, business services, migration-linked economic integration, workforce development, digital onboarding, and future-ready industries across the Eastern Caribbean. Its flagship proposed private-sector-led project is designed to establish the subregion as a strategic connector for global business, investment, tourism, culture, and innovation.