Business View Caribbean | Volume 8, Issue 6

11 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 8, ISSUE 6 T he Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in collaboration with the European Union (EU), have entered a partnership to support regional MSMEs with financial assistance to help businesses retool and preserve jobs. The partnership of Caribbean Export and the European Union has been a longstanding one. This Technical Assistance Programme represents the fourth round of grant support funded by the European Union under the EUR 30.8 m Regional Private Sector Development programme implemented by Caribbean Export. The Head of Cooperation in the EU Delegation in Barbados, Luis Maia, noted “I hope that this call for proposals will provide the necessary tools for firms to build resilience to navigate CARIBBEAN EXPORT, CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AND THE EUROPEAN UNION JOIN FORCES TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO MSMES the COVID-19 crisis and beyond. I am therefore delighted that the CDB has joined the grant support programme which has so far benefited more than 600 firms in the Region.” CDB and the EU will co-fund a grant facility via a Technical Assistance Programme (TAP) to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and providing ongoing capacity building through e-learning. Caribbean Export will be the implementing agency for the TAP. CDB will contribute $600K USD. “Caribbean Export is honoured to have been entrusted by CDB to implement such an important programme for our regional MSMEs. The funds are not only timely, but they are also necessary, if firms are to come back stronger, preserve jobs and create more,” shared Damie OPENING L INES