Belize Delegation at Caribbean Investment Forum in Barbados

Bridgetown, Barbados, October 8, 2026. The Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE) is participating in a Belizean delegation supported through the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) PROSPER project at the Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) in Barbados, under the theme “Invest. Innovate. Accelerate.”

Coordinated by the Caribbean Export Development Agency in partnership with the European Union, the Forum brings together investors, businesses, development institutions, and international partners to explore opportunities for investment and economic growth across the Caribbean.

PROSPER, the Participation, Ownership and Sustainable Progress for Economic Resilience, is a four-year initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by the ILO in partnership with the Government of Belize. It supports local economic development in the Toledo and Stann Creek Districts through entrepreneurship, skills development, and stronger value chains, with particular attention to rural and Indigenous communities, women, and youth. Its priority sectors include sustainable tourism and cacao agroforestry.

Belize’s multi-sectoral delegation is engaging with participants to promote national investment opportunities, explore partnerships, and identify support for sustainable enterprise development, including opportunities within the cacao sector. Participation through ILO PROSPER connects these engagements with efforts to strengthen livelihoods and expand economic opportunities in southern Belize.

BELTRAIDE is also promoting the Belize Investment Summit 2027, encouraging investors and regional and international partners to deepen their engagement with Belize and explore its investment potential.
The Belizean delegation includes:

Mr. Valentino Shal, Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Rural Transformation, Community Development & Local Government
Dr. Victoriano Pascual, Chief Agricultural Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security & New Growth Industries
Ms. Monique Usher, Deputy Executive Director, BELTRAIDE
Mr. Jalen Avila, Senior Investment Associate, BelizeINVEST, a unit of BELTRAIDE
Ms. Karlene McSweaney, Acting Director, Climate Finance Unit
Mr. Berisford Codd, Acting Deputy Director, Ministry of Foreign Trade
Mr. Simeon Cal, Chairperson, Maya Mountain Cacao Cooperative
Mr. Bruno Kuppinger, Representative, Southern Cacao
Ms. Kylah Ciego, National Implementation and Monitoring Officer, ILO
Ms. Marie August, Senior Project Finance and Administrative Assistant

Through its participation, BELTRAIDE is strengthening connections between Belize’s enterprise development, export promotion, and investment priorities. Following the Forum, the focus will be on pursuing relevant partnerships and translating these engagements into practical opportunities for Belizean businesses.