The Caribbean2030 Leaders’ Network was born out of a group of new Caribbean leaders to build an entrepreneurial spirit of collaboration across the region. Self-dubbed as a “do tank”, the group, now 70 strong, leverages individual passions and uses their networks and platforms to make a difference. This dynamic Network includes forward-thinking politicians, innovators, entrepreneurs, education leaders, communications specialists, diaspora members and more. Over three meetings in 2015 and 2016, held in Kingston, Jamaica and the United Kingdom, the group identified a vision for the region: ‘Creating a Caribbean that is peaceful, self-sufficient, globally competitive and resilient – promoting innovation and entrepreneurship’.
Caribbean2030 Leaders’ Network have identified two areas they will focus on:
- Open Data – to help build a culture of openness, transparency and good governance.
- Green Growth – to support the transition to a more sustainable economy.
The group has developed a series of strategies and targets to achieve tangible results over the coming year. As a network they are working actively across the region on these issues, and also supporting members’ initiatives, advocating for change, sharing ideas, data and contacts.
In May 2018 the Caribbean 2030 Leaders Network (C2LN) reconvened in Trinidad and Tobago for their fourth meeting, which built on the work of the C2LN Open Data Initiatives working group, a nine member voluntary group, which is currently undertaking a series of projects with the aim of supporting national and regional policy change and unlocking the potential of open data to improve transparency, good governance and economic development for cross-regional benefits. The project also aims to promote open data principles as a means to improve efficiency, drive innovation, and facilitate citizen engagement.
Reconvening the group following the devastation of numerous hurricanes also allowed for dialogue on the pertinent themes of resilience and vulnerability in the region and actions that the Network can take in the face of these challenges.
By gathering the group to discuss their future organisation, actions and priorities, this meeting generated long-term momentum for the Network, so the group can continue to harness innovative ideas and implement them through regional collaboration.
Goal and objectives
This meeting aimed to:
- Strengthen synergies and momentum of the Network’s overall objectives and targeted action on improving, transparency open data and good governance
- Build on their creative ideas generated since their last meeting on how to boost resilience both nationally and regionally
- Create a work agenda for the year 2018, including agreement on the follow-up activities, undertaken by the Network and supported by CAPRI and Wilton Park
- Establish an agreement on the governance structure of the C2LN and a communications strategy to bring further exposure to the activities of the Network
The programme included focus on:
- Reviewing the work done by the 22 members of the core group since the previous meeting, particularly in open data and green growth
- Opportunities for improvement, challenges, and actions that can be taken by the Network to progress the transparency, open data and good governance in the Caribbean
- Explore additional options to improve national and regional resilience to reduce vulnerability in the face of economic shocks and more destructive weather patterns
- Challenges for the regional banking sector and opportunities for financial technology
- Next steps and future organisation of the Network
