For Immediate Release
June 28, 2023
Atlantic Canada and the Caribbean have a significant history of interregional trade and partnership in sectors spanning cable and telecommunications, banking and finance, energy, and education.
In May, as part of its twelfth trade mission to the Caribbean region since 2015, econext formalized a partnership for the mutual benefit of the two regions.
“We are excited to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) as part of our trade mission,” said Abbie Hodder, econext’s COO and Director of International Business. “There is ample potential for collaboration between the four provinces of Atlantic Canada and the 11 OECS countries, and we look forward to putting this MOU into action.”
Atlantic Canada and the OECS have common regional strategic objectives. Beyond the promotion of trade and partnerships, the regions can exchange valuable information and experiences in areas of common interest including the support of local economies to becomes globally competitive, resilient, inclusive, and increasingly green.
The May 2023 trade mission consisted of eleven delegate organizations from Atlantic Canada engaging in over 150 meetings across four countries in the Caribbean region – Barbados, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. econext’s missions are multi-sector, but there is a strategic focus on green economy, blue economy, infrastructure, and education and training.
Firms in Atlantic Canada have many synergies with their counterparts in Caribbean markets. Hodder stated, “The products and services developed in Atlantic Canada can work well in other island and rural coastal environments, such as those found in the Caribbean.”
Hodder notes the region faces similar challenges such as the impacts of climate change, coastal zone erosion, distance from markets, and economies that are resource dependent. “We have a long history of trade with the Caribbean, and our commitment is to sustain and enhance this bond through meaningful reciprocal engagement.”
econext’s next Caribbean Trade Mission is set for November 2023. For information on how you can participate, please contact Abbie Hodder at abbie@econext.ca.
About OECS
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an international organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
About econext
econext is a not-for-profit association that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador, working on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. A priority for econext is helping its members engage internationally; the association has helped develop relationships between Atlantic Canada and Caribbean markets since 2014 .
