ECCB 2023-2024 Annual Report

EASTERN CARIBBEAN CENTRAL BANK ANNUAL REPORT 2023 - 2024

The 7 th Growth and Resilience Dialogue (GRD), was held on 25 - 26 April, 2023 under the theme: “An Appropriate and Sustainable Model for Healthcare in the ECCU/OECS - Agile Infrastructure, Traditional Medicine and Medicinal Cannabis”. The Dialogue provided an extraordinary exploration of experiences, ideas and innovative solutions in health and wellness care which patrons described as insightful, informative, and educational. The following research papers, which emanating from GRD 2023 have been designed to guide ongoing work that will add value to the region’s development and growth agenda: z “The Cost of Healthcare in the ECCU and the Identification of a Sustainable Framework and Model for the Provision of Affordable Quality Healthcare in the OECS/ECCU Region” - The objective of this research paper is to assess the cost of healthcare within each ECCB member country and identify a sustainable framework for the provision of affordable quality healthcare in the OECS/ECCU region. The research paper is scheduled to be completed by the last quarter of 2024. z “A Model for the Development of the Cannabis Industry in SIDS that Drives Socio-economic Development

and Empowerment of Indigenous Stakeholders” - The objective of the paper is to provide a comprehensive and resilient model for Caribbean governments to guide their cannabis industry development strategies; leveraging a development model that promotes a strong focus on advancing active participation, investment, empowerment and development of indigenous stakeholders/investors (including the diaspora) in the cannabis industry, while mapping out avenues/ options for international private sector agents to collaborate with governments and indigenous stakeholders in the industry and infrastructure investments. The outline of the paper has been completed and the research work is scheduled to start in 2024. Significant work was also advanced for the 8 th Annual Growth and Resilience Dialgogue scheduled for April 2024. The Dialogue will explore the concepts of creative disruption and innovation as pathways for transformative change and socio-economic growth. As a change maker, the ECCB is firm in its belief that in a world pulsating with change, innovation is a necessity not a luxury. VIEW - Presentations from 7 th Growth Dialogue

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