Despite recent improvements, the Caribbean region is still grappling with headwinds affecting social dynamics, fiscal outcomes, and economic growth. Global commodity prices—particularly for food and energy—remain volatile and above pre-pandemic levels, straining household budgets. While true that tourism dependent economies have seen this crucial sector recover, and commodity … [Read more...] about Despite persistent headwinds, the Caribbean sees a robust post-pandemic recovery
David Rosenblatt
David Rosenblatt is the Regional Economic Adviser for the Caribbean Country Department at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Prior to this position, David worked for 27 years at the World Bank, where he divided his career between assignments in the Latin America and Caribbean region and the World Bank Chief Economist’s office. David holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley.
Headwinds facing the post-pandemic recovery in the Caribbean
After two tumultuous years, 2023 remains characterized by headwinds facing countries across the world. Our previous publications have highlighted the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 shock to economies across the Caribbean region, particularly given its extreme dependence on external demand for resources, tourism, and finance. Just as the pandemic’s effects began to … [Read more...] about Headwinds facing the post-pandemic recovery in the Caribbean
Improving access to finance for women entrepreneurs and smaller enterprises crucial for the Caribbean
Access to adequate finance is critical to any business. For the most vulnerable - smaller firms and those owned and operated by women - finance is the lifeblood. Financing allows businesses to improve their services, expand to different markets, provide jobs in their communities, and contribute to the growth of the economy. New joint research from the IDB’s Caribbean … [Read more...] about Improving access to finance for women entrepreneurs and smaller enterprises crucial for the Caribbean
Digital Infrastructure’s Outsized Potential for the Caribbean
Our latest issue of the Caribbean Quarterly Economic Bulletin highlights new IDB research suggesting that many Latin American and Caribbean countries lag behind most advanced economies in digital and telecommunications infrastructure. Closing these gaps could yield dividends in productivity, employment, and growth—particularly for the six members of the IDB’s Caribbean Country … [Read more...] about Digital Infrastructure’s Outsized Potential for the Caribbean
The Fragile Path to Recovery in the Caribbean
Summer 2021 Caribbean Quarterly Economic Bulletin For more than a year, the Caribbean economics team at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has focused on the potential implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for lives and livelihoods across the region. The pandemic is still with us, and the emergence of new and more virulent strains of COVID-19 has also increased … [Read more...] about The Fragile Path to Recovery in the Caribbean