Carib Scope

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  • Venezuela wants oil spill compensation from T&T

    Venezuela wants oil spill compensation from T&T

    A fresh diplomatic dispute has emerged between neighboring South American and Caribbean nations over a recent offshore oil spill, with Venezuela formally demanding financial compensation and full information sharing from the government of Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking at a press briefing this week, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil laid out Caracas’ position that the May 1, 2026 spill originated in Trinidadian waters before drifting to Venezuela’s shorelines, leaving widespread harm on coastal ecosystems and artisanal fishing communities that depend on healthy marine environments for their livelihoods.

    Gil emphasized that Venezuela has yet to receive critical details about the incident from Trinidad and Tobago, including the precise source of the leak, the total volume of hydrocarbon released, and the specific type of petroleum product involved. He described the ongoing information gap as a matter of severe concern, noting that it blocks effective mitigation and recovery work on Venezuela’s end. To underscore the scale of the region’s ongoing pollution challenge, Gil highlighted that more than 870 separate hydrocarbon spills of varying sizes were recorded in the Gulf of Paria area between 2015 and 2023, creating a cumulative strain on the unique marine ecosystem of the gulf.

    Under existing international environmental agreements, Gil argued, Trinidad and Tobago is legally required to notify Venezuela immediately of any transboundary environmental incident, share full details of the spilled material, and outline what mitigation measures have already been implemented. The current lack of official data, he contended, constitutes a clear violation of established international protocols. In response, the Venezuelan government is currently compiling a comprehensive environmental damage assessment, which will be used to activate formal legal mechanisms and hold Trinidad and Tobago financially liable for the harm caused.

    The foreign minister also confirmed that Venezuelan diplomatic authorities have already sent multiple formal communications to Port of Spain regarding the incident, with the explicit goal of assessing the full impact of the spill and pursuing compensation when required under international frameworks. He noted that this process follows established precedent, as Trinidad and Tobago has previously provided compensation for earlier oil spills that impacted Venezuelan territory. Repeating Caracas’ core demands, Gil stressed that Trinidad and Tobago must cover 100 percent of the costs for environmental recovery in affected areas, and called for an urgent coordinated joint response to limit the spill’s damage across the Gulf of Paria.

    “We call on the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to take responsibility to assume its duties and to cover the costs involved in reversing the environmental damage, so we can work together with all authorities who are in charge from the very first moment to monitor the entire situation,” Gil stated during the briefing.

    The dispute comes after Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal addressed the incident in Parliament last Friday, responding to a question from Opposition Member of Parliament Stuart Young. Moonilal acknowledged that a “small spill” did occur on May 1, and confirmed that diplomatic communication between the two governments has already been initiated regarding the incident. No further details on the scale of the spill or the status of negotiations have been released publicly by the Trinidad and Tobago government as of the latest updates.

  • Genia Lank-Corinde start diplomatieke missie in Cuba

    Genia Lank-Corinde start diplomatieke missie in Cuba

    In a formal diplomatic ceremony held at Havana’s iconic Palace of the Revolution on May 18, Genia Lank-Corinde, the newly appointed ambassador of Suriname to Cuba, officially presented her credentials to Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, marking a new chapter in the long-running bilateral relationship between the two Caribbean nations.

    Speaking after the credential presentation, Lank-Corinde expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the Surinamese government for the warm hospitality extended by Cuban authorities during her transition to the post. She underscored that Suriname is eager to expand existing collaborative ties across a broad range of priority sectors, including public healthcare, education, agriculture, cultural exchange, and bilateral trade.

    The ambassador also highlighted the deep historical roots of diplomatic engagement between the two countries, noting that 2026 marks 47 years of official relations between Suriname and Cuba. She specifically thanked Cuba for its long-standing commitment to providing annual study scholarships for Surinamese students seeking higher education in Cuba. In response, President Díaz-Canel reaffirmed that this scholarship program will continue unchanged, maintaining the people-to-people connection that has been a cornerstone of bilateral ties for decades.

    Díaz-Canel described Suriname as a sister nation to Cuba, and extended his appreciation for the consistent solidarity shown by Suriname and the broader Caribbean Community (CARICOM) bloc. He specifically thanked Suriname for its long-standing public support in opposition to the decades-long economic blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States.

    Following the formal credential ceremony, Lank-Corinde and delegation members took part in a closing wreath-laying ceremony at the monument to José Martí, Cuba’s revered national hero, located at Havana’s Revolution Square, a traditional gesture of respect for the country’s revolutionary and national legacy.

  • CDEMA, mapping charity renew partnership to strengthen disaster response

    CDEMA, mapping charity renew partnership to strengthen disaster response

    Caribbean countries are stepping up their ability to respond to natural crises after the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) signed an updated agreement with UK-based humanitarian non-profit MapAction to continue their coordinated work on disaster management. The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), focused on expanding the use of real-time geospatial mapping and data during emergency events, was formalized Friday at a Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy 2030 stakeholder workshop hosted in Bridgetown, Barbados. CDEMA Executive Director Elizabeth Riley and MapAction GIS Director Greg Fricz put their signatures to the renewed pact.

    This long-running partnership between the two organizations will now continue its core mission: strengthening geospatial information management, boosting pre-disaster preparedness, and expanding on-the-ground operational support across CDEMA’s 20 member states across the Caribbean region. Beyond core mapping work, the updated agreement formalizes new areas of collaboration including technical assistance, cross-organizational geospatial data sharing, targeted training for local emergency management teams, capacity building for regional stakeholders, and coordinated deployment support when disaster strikes.

    In remarks following the signing, Riley emphasized that cross-sector collaboration and technological innovation are foundational to building stronger regional disaster resilience. “This renewed partnership with MapAction demonstrates our shared commitment to harnessing cutting-edge innovation, robust data infrastructure, and coordinated collaboration to reinforce disaster preparedness and response capacity for every one of our 20 participating states,” Riley said. She went on to note that consistent, reliable geospatial data is non-negotiable for informed decision-making at every stage of an emergency—from pre-storm evacuation planning to post-disaster damage assessment and recovery. The partnership, she added, has consistently delivered tremendous value to CDEMA’s integrated regional disaster management system.

    For his part, Fricz shared that MapAction, an organization that specializes in delivering life-saving mapping and geospatial data to humanitarian responders worldwide, is proud to extend its support to CDEMA and its member nations through enhanced mapping and analytical capabilities. “This updated MoU solidifies our shared goal: making sure that frontline emergency responders and senior decision-makers have immediate access to accurate, time-sensitive information when lives and livelihoods are on the line,” Fricz said. The renewed partnership comes as small island developing states across the Caribbean face growing frequency and intensity of climate-fueled disasters including hurricanes, flooding, and coastal erosion, making coordinated, data-driven disaster response more critical than ever.

  • Indian nationals get back passports, await outstanding salaries

    Indian nationals get back passports, await outstanding salaries

    On Monday, 18 May 2026, 38 Indian national workers who had been employed at a remote Guyanese quarry under widely reported harsh working conditions for nearly three years finally regained possession of their passports at Guyana’s Ministry of Labour. The workers were recruited by EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management, a company headquartered in India, to work at the Batavia quarry site located in Region Seven’s Cuyuni-Mazaruni interior region.

    The case was brought to public attention by Azruddin Mohamed, Leader of Guyana’s opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, whose organization traveled to the remote quarry to investigate worker accounts of abuse. As of Monday afternoon, Mohamed confirmed that the workers were still waiting for Ministry of Labour officials and company representatives to calculate all outstanding unpaid wages owed to the group, a core demand ahead of their planned departure from the country.

    Mohamed called the recovery of passports a “major victory” for the 38 workers, detailing a litany of alleged labor violations against the company. According to worker testimonies collected by WIN, employees were never paid overtime wages, never received formal payslips for their work, and have no confirmation that required social security deductions were ever remitted to Guyana’s National Insurance Scheme. Workers reported being forced to operate seven days a week, including national holidays, and were provided consistently low-quality food during their employment. One anonymous worker shared that he was only occasionally able to send $1200 USD back to his family in India, and expressed overwhelming eagerness to return home after years of exploitation.

    Shocking accounts of workplace safety failures also emerged: one unnamed Indian worker suffered the amputation of four fingers while performing vehicle repairs at the site, and has since returned to India without receiving any workers’ compensation for his injury. Mohamed confirmed that the incident was formally reported to Guyana’s Chief Labour Officer, and WIN is pushing for the injured worker to receive full compensation despite his return to India.

    Mohamed leveled severe allegations against the company and Guyana’s ruling People’s Progressive Party administration, saying the company’s treatment of workers amounts to human trafficking. He claims workers were forced to cover their own airfare to travel to Guyana for the jobs, and immediately had their passports confiscated by company representatives upon arrival – despite repeated requests from workers to have their documents returned. Adding to the exploitative terms, Mohamed says worker contracts include a punitive clause requiring employees to pay the company $5000 USD if they choose to leave their position or are terminated. “This is modern day slavery we’re under, under the PPP administration,” Mohamed stated.

    WIN is calling for full legal action against EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management for the confirmed labor violations, alongside the implementation of stronger regulatory systems to prevent the same exploitation from happening to future groups of foreign workers. “This is what we need to know and this is what the government needs to enforce,” Mohamed added.

    Last week, Labour Minister Keoma Griffith confirmed that a formal government investigation into the allegations had been launched. Vishnu Panday, WIN executive member and sitting parliamentarian, confirmed that once all outstanding wage claims are resolved, the organization will escort the 38 workers to another government ministry to expedite processing for their departure from Guyana. Panday also issued a broader call for the government to conduct sweeping inspections of other interior worksites across the country, to root out additional cases of unreported foreign worker exploitation.

  • Statement from the Caribbean Community on the hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz

    Statement from the Caribbean Community on the hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz

    On Monday, 18 May 2026, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) issued an official statement from its Secretariat headquarters in Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana, sounding the alarm over ongoing military hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz and calling for urgent action to restore regional and global stability.

    As one of the most prominent examples of developing-world integration, CARICOM counts 15 full member states and six associate members representing a combined population of roughly 16 million people. Founded in 1973 under the Treaty of Chaguaramas—revised in 2001 to establish a single integrated market and economy—the bloc organizes its work around four core pillars: economic integration, coordinated foreign policy, human and social development, and cross-border security cooperation. It works to advance an inclusive, resilient, competitive community that guarantees human rights, social justice, and equal opportunity for all its citizens, 60% of whom are under 30 years of age.

    In its statement, CARICOM first highlighted grave concern over the escalating conflict centered on the Strait of Hormuz, noting the crisis has already resulted in tragic loss of life, damaged critical civilian infrastructure, and triggered widespread volatility across global commodity and financial markets. Beyond immediate humanitarian harm, the ongoing hostilities have severely disrupted maritime transit through the strategic waterway, a critical artery for global energy trade and commercial shipping.

    The bloc emphasized that all disruptions to unimpeded transit send ripple effects across the entire global economy, roiling energy markets, stretching already strained global supply chains, and driving up freight costs worldwide. These impacts are not evenly distributed, CARICOM stressed: small, import-dependent economies like those of its member states face disproportionate harm, as higher costs and delays limit access to the critical fuel, food, and medical supplies their populations rely on.

    Central to CARICOM’s position is a firm reaffirmation of the principles set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). All 15 full CARICOM member states are signatory parties to UNCLOS, and the bloc reiterated its unwavering commitment to upholding the convention’s norms. CARICOM pointed out that the rights enshrined in UNCLOS are deeply rooted in binding customary international law, meaning they apply to and must be respected by all sovereign states, regardless of whether a state has formally ratified the convention. Specifically, the bloc confirmed that the right of transit passage guaranteed by UNCLOS cannot be made conditional on any license, tax, or third-party authorization, and coastal states bordering international waterways have no legal right to hinder or suspend such passage.

    Against this framework, CARICOM issued a clear call to action for all parties involved in the conflict: that they immediately uphold and respect the legally guaranteed right of transit passage, comply with all binding obligations under international law, work to restore safe, unhindered navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and prioritize the safety of civilian seafarers and commercial vessels transiting the waterway.

    Beyond protecting maritime rights, CARICOM called for an immediate end to all active hostilities in the region, stressing that urgent de-escalation and deliberate restraint from all involved parties is the only path to preventing further humanitarian and economic harm. The bloc confirmed that it will continue to closely monitor all developments unfolding in the Middle East, and remains fully committed to supporting diplomatic efforts to build lasting, sustainable peace in the region and strengthen broader global energy and economic stability.

  • Caribbean urged to improve emergency responses after disasters

    Caribbean urged to improve emergency responses after disasters

    As climate change amplifies the intensity and frequency of destructive natural disasters across the Caribbean, a top World Food Programme (WFP) leader is urging regional emergency response bodies to place robust food security frameworks and accessible, real-time data at the core of their crisis preparedness strategies. Brian Bogart, WFP’s Representative and Country Director for the organization’s Caribbean Multi-Country Office, outlined the urgent call to action during a recent regional consultation workshop hosted by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) at Barbados’ Accra Beach Hotel & Spa. The three-day gathering brought together representatives from CDEMA’s 20 member states to revise and update the bloc’s flagship Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy, a guiding document for regional crisis planning and response. In an interview with Barbados TODAY conducted on the sidelines of the workshop, Bogart highlighted that fragmented information coordination remains one of the most persistent and costly gaps in the region’s disaster response infrastructure, leaving vulnerable communities overlooked in the immediate aftermath of catastrophic events. While Bogart emphasized that national governments, UN agencies, local non-governmental organizations and international charitable groups all bring critical capacities to emergency responses, he noted that disjointed data systems often prevent consistent, equitable aid delivery to every impacted population. “One of the principal challenges we have with regards to food security is coordination and data,” Bogart explained, adding that response teams require immediate, accurate insights to map the location of affected communities, measure the scale of infrastructure and food system damage, and align available resources with on-the-ground needs. “What we really need to do is make sure that we have those systems in place for mapping needs [and] ensuring that we have regular coverage of affected populations so that no one is affected by hunger in the event of natural disasters in the Caribbean.” To illustrate the severity of coordination gaps and the scale of response required for major Caribbean disasters, Bogart pointed to the 2023 response to Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful storm on record to strike Jamaica. After the Category 5 hurricane made landfall in late October 2023, devastating large swathes of the island and leaving multiple rural communities completely cut off from access to food and basic supplies, the WFP moved nearly 1,000 metric tonnes of emergency relief goods from the Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub based in Barbados to Jamaica in February 2024. Beyond the immediate threat of increasingly severe natural disasters, Bogart also warned that overlapping global shocks continue to erode the Caribbean’s long-term food security, a vulnerability amplified by the region’s heavy dependence on imported food to meet local demand. Currently, most Caribbean nations import between 60 and 90 percent of their food supply, leaving the region exposed to global supply chain disruptions and international commodity price volatility. Bogart referenced the CARICOM “25 by 2025 plus 5” initiative, which sets a target of cutting the region’s food import bill by 25 percent by 2030, to argue that regional governments and stakeholders must ramp up investment in local agricultural production and expand intra-Caribbean food trade to reduce this systemic vulnerability. “The Caribbean is very vulnerable to shocks generated by supply chain disruptions and global food price inflation,” Bogart said, noting that ongoing geopolitical instability in the Middle East and persistently high global fuel costs have already driven up retail food prices across the region. “What we really need to do is look at how we can offset those short-term impacts by ensuring that the most vulnerable people have access to the food they need for a healthy diet, while also doubling down on the investments required to reduce reliance on imports and promote agriculture and food trade between Caribbean countries.”

  • CDB’s 26th William G. Demas Memorial Lecture in Nassau will focus on role of courts in Caribbean development

    CDB’s 26th William G. Demas Memorial Lecture in Nassau will focus on role of courts in Caribbean development

    The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced plans to host the 26th installment of its annual William G. Demas Memorial Lecture on June 2, 2026, a flagship intellectual event tied to the institution’s 56th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors. Scheduled to unfold in Nassau, The Bahamas, where the full Annual Meeting will run from June 1 to 5, this year’s keynote address will be delivered by The Honourable Mr. Justice Denys Barrow, a sitting judge at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

    Justice Barrow’s presentation will center on the timely theme: “Contributions of the Courts to Caribbean Development: the Enduring Importance of Strong Institutions.” Per official statements released by CDB, his talk will dive into the multifaceted ways that robust judicial frameworks underpin progress across the Caribbean region. Attendees and observers can expect insights into how independent, well-functioning court systems stabilize national economies, boost investor confidence, maintain cohesive social order, and advance inclusive, equitable development that benefits all segments of Caribbean societies.

    The lecture fits neatly into the overarching theme of the 2026 Annual Meeting, “Forging the Caribbean’s Future: Strategic Solutions for Uncertain Times.” In a global landscape marked by persistent geopolitical shifts, tightening fiscal conditions, and growing climate-related shocks, the event will zero in on how the rule of law and resilient institutions serve as critical bulwarks against these challenges. Justice Barrow is set to explore how credible, independent judicial bodies strengthen governance, create the policy certainty needed for long-term investment, and lay the groundwork for sustained sustainable development outcomes.

    This year’s focus also aligns directly with CDB’s own corporate Strategic Plan, which identifies institutional strengthening, improved public service delivery, and the conversion of policy commitments into tangible, measurable development results as core organizational priorities. Through the annual memorial lecture series, CDB has positioned itself as both a key convener of regional dialogue and a central knowledge hub for Caribbean development. The institution supports its Borrowing Member Countries through a mix of targeted financing, collaborative policy dialogue, and coordinated cross-border development initiatives, and the lecture series advances this broader mission.

    Gillian Charles-Gollop, CDB Vice President for Corporate Services, emphasized the urgent relevance of this year’s theme in contemporary context. “In an era where uncertainty is structural rather than episodic, strong institutions are not optional – they are essential,” Charles-Gollop noted. She added that the long-running lecture series provides a critical space to examine how the rule of law and trusted institutions underpin regional resilience, economic stability, and long-term sustainable growth.

    The William G. Demas Memorial Lecture was established to honor the legacy of William G. Demas, CDB’s second president. Demas’ transformative leadership and far-reaching intellectual contributions helped shape the region’s collective approach to development, regional integration, and institutional capacity building over his tenure. The 2026 event carries forward this legacy by centering the under-explored connection between judicial systems and broad-based development progress, while reaffirming CDB’s long-standing commitment to strengthening regional institutions as the foundation of sustained Caribbean advancement.

  • Japan donates equipment to help Dominican Republic combat sargassum

    Japan donates equipment to help Dominican Republic combat sargassum

    A new chapter of environmental cooperation between Japan and the Dominican Republic has officially begun, as Tokyo handed over a fleet of heavy machinery to help the Caribbean nation address the worsening sargassum crisis that has plagued its coastlines and critical tourism industry.

    The official handover ceremony took place at the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism, with top local government officials leading the event. Attendees included José Ignacio Paliza, Minister of the Presidency, and Carlos Peguero, Vice Minister of International Cooperation, who formally accepted the donation on behalf of the Dominican government.

    This support comes through Japan’s well-established Non-Reimbursable Financial Cooperation Program, an initiative that provides grant-based assistance to partner countries facing pressing social and environmental challenges. The donation package comprises 17 pieces of purpose-built heavy equipment: six heavy-duty dump trucks for transporting collected seaweed, five mechanical street sweepers to clear sargassum from coastal access areas and promenades, and five tractors to assist with large-scale containment and collection operations along the Dominican Republic’s extensive coastline.

    Dominican authorities have emphasized that the new equipment will fill critical gaps in the country’s current sargassum response capacity. For years, massive influxes of free-floating sargassum have washed up on Dominican beaches, decaying on shore and damaging fragile coastal habitats, driving away tourists, and cutting into revenue from the tourism sector – the single largest engine of economic growth and employment in the country.

    Tsuda Fumiyo, Japan’s Chargé d’Affaires in the Dominican Republic, used the occasion to underscore the strategic value of the collaboration. She noted that the partnership goes beyond just addressing an immediate environmental problem; it advances shared goals of long-term environmental sustainability and strengthens the institutional capacity of Dominican agencies tasked with coastal management. The handover marks another milestone in the deepening bilateral relationship between the two nations, centered on mutual support for sustainable development and economic resilience.

  • Researchers say conch, lobster and grouper stocks overfished

    Researchers say conch, lobster and grouper stocks overfished

    A landmark 73-year analysis led by Sea Around Us researchers has delivered a stark warning for The Bahamas’ marine ecosystems: 11 out of 12 of the nation’s most culturally and commercially vital seafood species are now categorized as overfished, with most being harvested far faster than natural populations can replenish. Published in the peer-reviewed journal *Frontiers in Marine Science*, the findings validate long-held anecdotal concerns from local Bahamian fishers, who have reported declining catches of iconic species for decades.

    To build their dataset, researchers reconstructed total catch records stretching from 1950 through 2022, offering one of the most comprehensive long-term assessments of Caribbean fisheries ever conducted. The 12 species evaluated represent the backbone of The Bahamas’ seafood economy and cultural identity. Among the at-risk populations, Nassau grouper and yellowfin grouper were ranked as “grossly overfished”; queen conch, Caribbean spiny lobster, hogfish, black grouper, rock hind and wahoo fell into the “overfished” category; and lane snapper, mutton snapper and gray snapper were listed as “slightly overfished.” Only one species — dolphinfish, more commonly known as mahi mahi — was found to have a stable, healthy population.

    The results carry profound implications for The Bahamas, a nation where seafood is central to both domestic food security and a tourism-driven economy. Across the 73-year study period, researchers estimated that a total of 1.3 million tonnes of seafood were harvested from Bahamian waters, averaging 17,500 tonnes per year. Just two species — Caribbean spiny lobster and queen conch — made up more than half of that total catch: lobster accounted for 33% (around 425,000 tonnes) and conch for 21%. Both are now officially overfished, with lobster populations at just 61% of the biomass required to support long-term maximum sustainable yield, and queen conch at 59%. Maximum sustainable yield is the scientific benchmark for the largest catch that can be maintained indefinitely under stable environmental conditions.

    Reef-dwelling groupers and snappers showed the most alarming population declines of all species assessed. Yellowfin grouper, the most imperiled species in the study, was found to have only 40% of the biomass needed for sustainable harvesting. Nassau grouper, which has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2015, was measured at just 49% of the required sustainable biomass. Data shows Nassau grouper catches exceeded maximum sustainable yield for nearly 40 years before populations collapsed from their mid-1990s peak, and the species has yet to show any signs of recovery in the decades since.

    Breaking down catch contributions across the fishing sector, the study found that recreational fishing — including tourism-focused charter boats, sportfishing operations, and visiting angling groups — accounted for 46% of total historical catch, the largest share of any segment. Industrial fishing, centered primarily on export-focused spiny lobster operations, made up 26% of total catch, while small-scale artisanal fishing for local markets contributed 23%, and small-scale subsistence fishing accounted for the remaining 5%.

    The study’s clear findings intensify pressure on Bahamian fisheries regulators, who have long struggled to manage iconic seafood industries hampered by incomplete population data, inconsistent enforcement of fishing rules, and persistent high public demand for local catch. Dr. Krista Sherman, study co-author and researcher at the Perry Institute for Marine Science, emphasized that the overfished status of key species creates direct risks for domestic food access. “These species are the backbone of The Bahamas’ domestic seafood supply, supporting commercial and subsistence fishers across the islands and anchoring local food security,” Sherman explained. “Their overfished status means fewer fish in local markets and on local plates unless targeted management action is taken. These assessments not only improve our understanding of the status of key fisheries but also provide a critical foundation for the sustainable management of these valuable resources moving forward.”

  • Dominican Republic to host Ibero-American road safety data summit

    Dominican Republic to host Ibero-American road safety data summit

    The Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic is preparing to welcome delegates from 14 Ibero-American countries for the eighth iteration of the Ibero-American Meeting on Data and Road Safety, a landmark regional event organized by the country’s National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT). Scheduled to run from May 20 to 23 at the convention center of the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital city of Santo Domingo, the gathering aims to strengthen cross-border data management practices and craft collaborative strategies to cut down on preventable traffic accidents across the region.

    Among the participating delegations are senior technical representatives from major Ibero-American states including Spain, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay. Over the four-day event, attendees will take part in a series of targeted technical sessions covering high-priority topics: enhancing the accuracy and completeness of road safety data, advancing robust statistical analysis methods, improving institutional interoperability across different national agencies, and supporting the development of road safety policies rooted in solid empirical evidence.

    INTRANT Executive Director Milton Morrison emphasized that access to consistent, reliable road safety data forms the non-negotiable foundation for designing policies that actually reduce road fatalities and keep vulnerable road users safe. Beyond knowledge sharing, organizers expect the meeting to deliver tangible outcomes: deepened long-term regional cooperation on road safety, the launch of new cross-national initiatives to upgrade national road safety information systems, and expanded coordinated support for safer, more sustainable mobility across every corner of Ibero-America.