MIIC STRENGTHENS COLLABORATION WITH THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK TO ADVANCE POST-HURRICANE STRATEGY AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE

The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), Jamaica’s Business Ministry, welcomed a high-level delegation from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for a two-day technical mission focused on collaborating with the Ministry and the Government to support Jamaica’s post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts and strengthen long-term economic resilience.

The meeting, led by Senator the Honourable Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, brought together senior representatives from the IDB, including Karisa Ribiero, Chief Operating Officer (COO); Krista Lucenti, Senior Trade Specialist; and Sudaney Blair, Operations Associate, as well as Mrs. Sancia Bennett Templer, Permanent Secretary, MIIC, Shullette Cox, President of JAMPRO, and Kelli-Dawn Hamilton, CEO of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority (JSEZA). Discussions focused on targeted strategies to rebuild and grow Jamaica’s industries, strengthen the investment climate, and expand trade in the post-Hurricane Melissa future.

Minister Hill stated, “Our focus is on building businesses at every level, especially immediate focus on the mom-and-pop enterprises and getting them operational as quickly as possible to quickly rebuild communities. Working closely with the IDB, will help us in advancing our MSME and Services policy, refining strategies that will rebuild industries, strengthen trade, and attract investment. We must also work together and look at advancing our apprenticeship training programme, ensuring that skills development goes hand-in-hand with business recovery. When we combine targeted support with sustainability planning, we can make a real, lasting change across Jamaica. We are helping our people as much as we can, in ways that are effective, targeted, and sustainable.”

Since 2023, the IDB has been a trusted partner of the Ministry in driving business roadshow geared towards MSME enterprises.

The mission included technical sessions with global experts such as Martin Ibarra, President of Araujo Ibarra Consultores Internacionales; Adolfo Taylhardat, former International Finance Corporation (IFC) consultant; and Queila Delgado, IDB, who will share best practices on SEZ-led recovery, investment promotion, and trade facilitation. These sessions have engaged MIIC, JAMPRO, and JSEZA leadership in technical assessments, sector strategies, and coordinated approaches to advancing Jamaica’s industrial and investment agenda.

The Ministry and its 20 agencies remain committed to creating strong partnerships that drive national prosperity, support Jamaica’s recovery and rebuilding efforts, and ensure the country is more resilient and positioned to grow in the face of global and environmental challenges.