As the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group begins work on its 2026-2030 country strategy for Trinidad and Tobago, the institution’s country representative Julian Belgrave says it intends to build on recent gains through sustainable public and private sector initiatives.“We are still very much in the early stages, but what I can assure the people of Trinidad and Tobago is that we will continue to build sustainably on the progress already achieved, particularly through public and private sector interventions, as we prepare for the next country strategy cycle, which will run from 2026 to 2030,” Belgrave told Express Business.He noted that the last strategy placed strong emphasis on digital transformation.“While that remains highly relevant, we anticipate broadening our scope to better address the full range of development challenges facing T&T,” said Belgrave.However, he believes that the main area for improvement is implementation.“We need to move faster from agreement to delivery, so that good ideas and approved projects translate into visible benefits for people. In practical terms, that means clearer timelines, stronger coordination among implementing agencies, earlier identification of bottlenecks, and more hands-on support to help projects move through procurement, execution and monitoring. The goal is not only to design strong interventions, but to ensure they reach the communities, businesses and households that need them most, when they need them,” Belgrave highlighted.‘More detailed stage of planning’He added that the IDB Group has already engaged with Government and civil society.“I can confidently say there is strong alignment around the broad pillars guiding the strategy.”Belgrave said the group is now moving into a more detailed stage of planning, focused on defining the strategic objectives and key priorities that will underpin the final framework.“While there is broad consensus on the overall direction, we continue to work closely with all stakeholders to refine the details and ensure the strategy reflects shared priorities,” he said.Reflecting on the 2021-2025 country strategy, Belgrave highlighted the contributions of IDB Lab and IDB Invest, along with two key public sector initiatives.“In terms of three big wins under the current country strategy, I’ll start with the IDB Lab first. IDB Lab helped advance innovation through the Shaping the Future of Innovation project. The project was co-financed and co-owned with the European Union, and executed by CARIRI under the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development. This initiative helped at least 77 companies take advantage of resources that were allocated in a competitive way, so they could create value by tapping into their own innovative mindset. With our support, these companies were able to commercialise new, innovative products, services and business models,” Belgrave detailed.Belgrave said IDB Invest approved US$342.4 million in operations aimed at advancing key priorities, including affordable housing, SME financing, and manufacturing.“Our TT$300 million transaction with the T&T Mortgage Bank (TTMB) provided resources that allowed the TTMB to finance mortgages for low—and middle-income families. This lending was extended to women-headed households, which demonstrates our commitment to ensuring our interventions benefit the people who need them most, particularly those who are most vulnerable in our society. Additionally, our deal with the Massy Group that was approved last year was pivotal, as IDB Invest demonstrated that it was able to work with a large, private sector entity that not only serves T&T but also the wider Caribbean,” said Belgrave.Turning to the public sector, Belgrave noted that several IDB-supported projects are still being implemented, including the Water Supply and Transformation Project, which is being carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Public Utilities and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).“This project is vital as it aims to provide a more consistent water supply to vulnerable communities, including the upgrade of treatment facilities, etc.,” he said.Belgrave also cited the Health Services Support Programme, which was delivered through the Ministry of Health, as another key public sector initiative.“We have been able to reach hundreds of thousands of patients by creating ease of access through mobile health units and community outreach,” he said.“While we are proud of the progress made through public sector initiatives, we also recognise that much more must be done to truly improve the lives of citizens in T&T. Expanding access to clean water and strengthening the quality of healthcare remain critical priorities in ensuring that development translates into tangible benefits for all,” he said.Inaugural Knowledge WeekThe IDB Group also hosted its inaugural Knowledge Week 2026, creating another platform to share the research, insights and knowledge products it has developed.“The main purpose was to showcase the knowledge that we have been generating over the last three to five years in T&T. It is one thing to generate the knowledge, upload it and publish it somewhere, but it may not be easily accessible to everyone. The idea behind Knowledge Week was to create another channel for communicating the knowledge products that we have generated. Knowledge Week provides the perfect opportunity to ensure the knowledge we have created doesn’t just collect dust and be shelved but can instead be accessed and put to work,” he explained.Belgrave said one of his key takeaways from Knowledge Week was the widespread appreciation for the value of knowledge, coupled with the understanding that it must be translated into action to create meaningful impact.Another key takeaway, Belgrave said, was the need for more forums like Knowledge Week that not only share knowledge but also help identify gaps and areas where academia, the private sector, public sector and development partners can work together more effectively.Belgrave also noted that the bank plans to ensure the ideas discussed during the convention are implemented in future projects and even to refine the country strategy.“The knowledge products that we showcased and the knowledge that we have gained from experiences across the region will significantly influence our strategic and technical dialogue with the Government, and how we design the strategy going forward. It will feature in how we design specific transactions, not just on the public side, but with our private sector partners,” he said.“We provided this platform because we want our stakeholders to take the knowledge that was presented and apply it to how they design policies and solutions so we can collectively solve quintessential development challenges in T&T,” he said.Looking ahead, Belgrave said the group sees the future of Knowledge Week as one where it brings the most strategic allies on board.“We are actively refining what Knowledge Week can look like going forward, but what we already consider a success is the level of interest it has generated. From the moment news of the event began to spread, there has been a buzz with people asking how they can participate. That enthusiasm tells us we are on the right path. So, while we are still shaping the next steps, I can confidently say the outlook is very positive,” he said.Responding to questions about the gap between large development institutions and MSMEs, Belgrave highlighted the Shaping the Future of Innovation project, a European Union co-financed initiative that assisted 77 businesses.“With that programme 77 companies received non-reimbursable financing to accelerate innovation while more than 1,000 micro and small enterprises benefited from advisory support. I think this project is a perfect example of how the IDB Group, through the IDB Lab, have been able to work with and provide MSME’s in T&T with access to funding and resources. It also provides an excellent launch pad for how we can continue to support smaller businesses in the future,” said Belgrave.