Inter-American Development Bank, Multilateral Investment Fund Officers to Discuss Key Financial Resources at 2011 Invest Caribbean Symposium

WASHINGTON — Senior officers at the Inter-American Development Bank and its sister agency, the Multilateral Investment Fund will participate in the opening and closing panels of the 2011 Invest Caribbean Symposium on November 11, 2011 at the Renaissance Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C. Convened by the Institute of Caribbean Studies, the 13th Annual Caribbean American Leadership Dialogue will prioritize driving the development of the region through emerging investment opportunities and small business enterprises.

The one-day symposium, “Mining The Agribusiness Value Chain,” will bring together policymakers, private sector stakeholders, farmers, and program managers within a trusted mechanism for small businesses to learn how to access resources and leverage financing within the agribusiness sector in the Caribbean. Mark Wenner, Lead Financial Specialist in the Capital and Financial Markets Division of the Inter-American Development Bank, will participate in the opening plenary discussion on “Emerging Trade and Investment Opportunities in the Agriculture Sector,” and Alejandro Escobar, Senior Investment and Operations Officer at the Multilateral Investment Fund, will provide key information on “Financing The Deal,” the closing panel.

Conference Chair and ICS Board Member, Dr. Nsombi Jaja, who serves as the Managing Director at Quality Management Consultancy Co. Ltd., says that this year’s conference aims to revert the decline of the Caribbean agribusiness sector. “Continued progress of the development of agribusiness in the Caribbean requires not only an increased development of the means of production, but also the steady coordination of that production,” she said. “The implementation of agri-food value chains that are inclusive of Caribbean smallholders is essential in this process.”

For complete agenda and registration information, visit www.investcaribbean.us