ECCB 2017-2018 Annual Report and Statement of Accounts

ECCB ANNUAL REPORT 2017/2018

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Participants at the 2 nd Growth and Resilience Dialague with ECCU Social Partners - 18 February 2018

Support OECS Commission in Continued Refinement of OGDS and Implementation of an ECCU-Wide Economic Development Plan The Growth and Resilience Dialogue The second Growth and Resilience Dialogue with ECCU Social Partners was convened under the theme “Working Together to Raise Growth Levels and Build Resilience in the ECCU” with the objectives to: •  • Concretise the work done on the four principal thematic areas of the first Growth Dialogue; •  • Examine and forge consensus on mitigating vulnerability in the financial sector markets in the context of derisking and the new Banking Act; •  • Revise policies and processes for the development of climate smart sustainable national and regional infrastructure; •  • Ensure impactful response mechanisms by building resilience in the development of our institutions and human resources to ensure sustainability; and •  • Continue with the implementation of the Growth and Resilience Action Plan.

Following the negative impact of two Category 5 hurricanes (Irma and Maria) on some ECCB member countries, the Dialogue brought the vulnerability of the sub-region into sharp focus by seeking approaches and methodologies for developing resilience through sustainable growth for all member states. Two interactive Davos-style plenary sessions were held. The first session featured Small Islands Resilience Expert, Professor Pasquele Lino Briguglio from the University of Malta who discussed: Lessons for the Resilience of Small States in the Face of Frequently Occurring Natural Disasters and Man-made Phenomena . The moderator was Clive Bacchus, Managing Director, WINN FM, St Kitts and Nevis. The second session, moderated by Governor Antoine, was titled: Working Together to Achieve Resilience in the Face of Vulnerability Across the OECS . Director General of the OECS Commission, Dr Didacus Jules and Economist at the Caribbean Development Bank, Kevin Hope, presented on the topic. For the second year, over 120 representatives from the eight ECCB member countries attended and participated in the deliberations. Four