In a symbolic handover ceremony at the 2026 Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) held in Bridgetown, Barbados, the Dominican Republic has officially been named the host nation for the 2027 edition of the key regional economic gathering.
ProDominicana, the Dominican Republic’s trade and investment promotion agency, was represented at this year’s forum by its Executive Director Vladimir Pimentel F., who accepted the ceremonial handover on behalf of his country. For Pimentel and the Dominican economic development community, hosting CIF 2027 represents a landmark opportunity to advance three core regional goals: deepening cross-Caribbean integration, drawing in high-impact international and regional investment, and cementing the Caribbean’s global reputation as a competitive, economically resilient investment destination.
During the 2026 forum in Barbados, Pimentel held a series of productive bilateral and multilateral meetings with key stakeholders, including leadership from the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the European Union Delegation to Barbados, Invest Barbados, the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, and 11 additional regional investment promotion agencies. Central to these discussions were strategies to expand collaborative frameworks, advance pipeline investment projects, and build stronger, more effective partnerships between public investment agencies and private sector actors across the region.
This year’s CIF brought together a diverse cross-section of economic leaders, including global and regional investors, senior government officials, local entrepreneurs, representatives from leading financial institutions, and heads of investment agencies. Attendees explored untapped investment opportunities across a range of high-priority sectors critical to Caribbean growth, including agribusiness and food security, the green economy, technology and digital transformation, and regional logistics and transportation infrastructure.
Pimentel also took part in a high-level closed dialogue focused on the future of regional investment, where he shared successful investment promotion practices developed by ProDominicana and issued a call for greater cross-border coordination among Caribbean nations. He argued that closer collaboration would strengthen regional value chains, reduce fragmentation, and make the entire Caribbean more attractive to international capital seeking stable, high-growth opportunities.
Looking ahead to the 2027 forum, Pimentel emphasized that the Dominican Republic will build on the foundational discussions and partnerships launched in Bridgetown, turning dialogue into action. CIF 2027 will serve as a concrete platform to advance tangible investment projects, deepen institutional cooperation across the region, and showcase the full economic potential of the Caribbean as a premier global investment destination.