Dear Reader,
Welcome to the Caribbean Trade & Development News Digest for the week September 13–19, 2026!
It was a consequential week in Geneva. The WTO Public Forum was held from September 15–17, with services trade taking centre stage, while the WTO launched its flagship World Trade Report 2026, warning that failure to modernise multilateral trade cooperation could impose enormous costs on the global economy and disproportionately affect smaller and developing economies.
📌 THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
- Guyana’s crude-oil exports surpass US$15 billion in the first half of 2026, helping push total export earnings up 76.4%.
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines signs an agreement designed to connect dasheen and hot-pepper farmers with U.S. buyers using digital production and traceability data.
- Barbados and Suriname seek deeper intra-CARICOM trade, including possible Barbadian imports of silica sand and aggregate.
- The OECS advances work towards a more integrated external border and free circulation of goods through specialised risk-management training.
- The WTO holds its 2026 Public Forum, bringing more than 4,600 participants together in Geneva for a record 113 sessions focused heavily on services and the future of trade.
- The World Trade Report 2026 warns that failure to renew multilateral trade cooperation could cost the global economy as much as 10% of GDP by 2050.
🌴 CARIBBEAN TRADE STORIES
⭐ Guyana’s oil exports surpass US$15 billion in first half of 2026
Guyana Department of Public Information: Guyana’s crude-oil export earnings surged 82.1% to US$15.05 billion during the first six months of 2026, helping push the country’s overall export earnings up 76.4% to US$16.2 billion.
Guyana turns attention towards monetising its natural-gas resources
Guyana Department of Public Information: Guyana’s natural-resources strategy is entering another phase as the government turns greater attention towards commercialising the country’s natural-gas resources alongside continued expansion of oil production.
Belize sugar refinery could reshape CARICOM’s refined-sugar supply chain
The Caribbean Sugar Refinery (CSR) says its new Belize facility remains on track to begin producing refined white sugar during the third quarter of 2026, with full commissioning expected during the fourth quarter.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines moves closer to exporting produce to U.S. market
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has signed a data-management and protection agreement with Quantome Inc. aimed at connecting local farmers with overseas buyers and opening U.S. market opportunities initially for dasheen and hot peppers.
Barbados and Suriname seek deeper intra-CARICOM trade
Barbados Government Information Service: Barbados and Suriname are exploring expanded cooperation in trade, infrastructure and agriculture, including possible Barbadian sourcing of silica sand and aggregate from Suriname.
Barbados’ Electronic Single Window gains business users
Barbados reported this week that around 300 enterprises are now using the country’s Electronic Single Window, which allows businesses to electronically obtain licences, permits, certificates and other documentation required for imports and exports.
Trinidad and Tobago manufacturers pursue export opportunities in Miami
Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association: The TTMA led a 37-member delegation representing 26 companies to Miami from September 13–18 as part of its efforts to expand exports and establish new commercial relationships.
Jamaica attracts proposed new manufacturing investment
Jamaica Information Service: International manufacturer LANCO is advancing plans to establish a paint and adhesives manufacturing facility in St Catherine, potentially increasing Jamaica’s productive capacity and creating new employment.
Ibex cuts Jamaican capacity as global-services competition intensifies
Jamaica’s important business-process outsourcing sector received a less encouraging signal this week. Ibex closed two of its four Jamaican delivery centres and reduced the number of Jamaican workstations by 37%, from 3,810 to 2,405, during its financial year to June.
Saint Lucia advances digital-identity and fintech regulatory sandbox
Government of Saint Lucia: Saint Lucia is developing a cross-sector regulatory sandbox for digital identity and financial technology, supported by ECLAC.
OECS advances trade facilitation and free circulation of goods
OECS Commission: Regulatory and border-control officials across the OECS have been receiving specialised training in risk management for the movement of goods, with the latest programme focused on Saint Lucia.
US$12.55 million project targets climate resilience in Caribbean fisheries
CARICOM: More than 21,800 fisherfolk, boat owners, processors and coastal-community members across Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago are expected to benefit from a new US$12.55 million Global Environment Facility-funded regional programme.
CDB expands climate-resilience and gender-smart finance for Caribbean businesses
Caribbean Development Bank: The CDB advanced two initiatives this week aimed at improving access to finance and resilience among Caribbean businesses.
📢 STRAIGHT FROM THE WTO!
WTO Public Forum 2026 puts services and the future of trade cooperation centre stage
WTO: The 2026 WTO Public Forum was held in Geneva from September 15–17 under the theme Powering the Future, bringing together more than 4,600 participants and 540 speakers across a record 113 sessions.
WTO–ECLAC report offers lessons for Caribbean services-export strategies
WTO/ECLAC: A new report launched on September 17 examines how developing economies can design services export-promotion strategies capable of converting rapidly growing international demand into exports, investment and employment.
WTO examines stablecoins and the future of cross-border trade payments
WTO: A new WTO study launched during the organisation’s first World Trade & Tech Day examines the potential role of stablecoins in international trade and cross-border payments.
🌎 GLOBAL TRADE STORIES
ASIA
New Zealand parliament approves India free trade agreement
Reuters: New Zealand’s parliament approved legislation implementing its free trade agreement with India on September 16, clearing a major domestic hurdle towards bringing the agreement into force. Two-way trade totalled NZ$3.99 billion in the year to June 2026.
India warns U.S. Russia-related tariffs could damage bilateral trade relations
Reuters: India warned Washington that new U.S. legislation authorising tariffs of up to 100% against countries purchasing Russian energy could damage bilateral relations.
U.S. and China begin another round of talks on trade, AI and critical minerals
Reuters: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng prepared for another round of high-level economic discussions covering tariffs, artificial intelligence and critical minerals ahead of a planned meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
LATIN AMERICA
Mexico pushes for trade agreement and relief from U.S. tariffs
Reuters: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government is working to reach a trade understanding with Washington following discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump.
U.S. pressures Mexico over Chinese content in AI hardware
The United States is pressing Mexico to tighten rules of origin for artificial-intelligence hardware, including chips and servers, amid concerns that Chinese components could enter the U.S. market through Mexican manufacturing operations.
AFRICA
Ghana curbs fuel exports to Burkina Faso and Mali
Reuters: Ghana’s state-owned BOST Energies has reduced exports of diesel and gasoline to Burkina Faso and Mali as it prioritises domestic supply amid tight international energy markets.
Africa’s trade debate turns increasingly towards industrialisation
African policymakers and businesses continue to grapple with how the continent can translate expanding market access into greater industrial production. China’s implementation this year of zero-tariff treatment for goods from African economies has widened formal market access, but the development also raises the familiar question of whether African exporters can diversify beyond commodities and take advantage of preferences with higher-value manufactured and processed products.
OTHER MAJOR GLOBAL TRADE DEVELOPMENTS
New U.S. Russia sanctions law expands tariff risks beyond Russia
Reuters: President Donald Trump signed major new Russia sanctions legislation on September 18 targeting Russian energy and defence interests and sanctions-evasion networks.
EU–China trade tensions spread to hybrid vehicles
Reuters: China criticised possible European restrictions on rapidly expanding imports of Chinese hybrid vehicles, warning against arrangements that would effectively impose voluntary export restraints.
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