New African Import & Export Bank and Blue Green Bank to Boost Barbados' Financial Landscape with Climate-Resilient Investments

The financial landscape in Barbados is set to benefit from a new entrant with the recent introduction of the African Import & Export Bank, which may be followed by other retail banks from the African continent. With the passage of the Bill in Parliament to launch the Blue Green Bank, (BGB), another financial institution is poised to occupy the development financing space.

Based on the Green Climate Fund’s synopsis of the BGB, the Bank’s purpose and mission is to reduce the cost of financing for projects that strengthen climate resilience and respond to climate change impacts. This aligns with the broader goal of making green and climate-resilient investments more accessible and affordable for small businesses.

The funding and capitalisation of the Bank includes USD$30 million each from the governments of Guyana and Bahamas, as well as USD$15 million from the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This substantial capitalisation will provide the necessary resources to fund the Bank’s operations and lending activities.

The BGB was developed in collaboration with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the IMF’s RST. This partnership with major global financial institutions lends credibility and additional funding sources to the Bank’s initiatives.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has agreed to provide USD$5 million in technical assistance to help conceptualise and bring the BGB project to fruition. This support can benefit small businesses by improving their capacity to access and utilise the Bank’s offerings.

The BGB is envisioned as an institution that can serve the broader Caribbean region, not just Barbados. This regional focus allows the Bank to leverage resources and expertise to support small businesses across multiple countries facing similar climate challenges.

The BGB will work in collaboration with other financiers to lower the cost of funding climate-resilient and green projects. This collaborative approach can further enhance the support for the region’s private sector.

The issue of small business financing is a perennial one with data showing conclusively that this is the number one impediment to SME growth and transformation. A vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem is one that includes a myriad of financing solutions for the sector – debt, equity, grants and development financing. Since the closure of the Barbados Development Bank three decades ago, there has not been any development financing instruments to fill the gap. The BGB portends to do this.

Small businesses can expect a number of benefits from the BGB including but not limited to:

Financing for Climate-Resilient Projects: The primary purpose of the BGB is to fund climate-resilient projects, which aligns with the critical climate challenges facing Barbados. This includes investments in green energy technologies, low-emission technologies and renewable energy projects. Flexible Financing Options: The BGB will offer a range of financing products, including grants and loans, to support different types of climate-related projects. This flexibility allows the bank to cater to the diverse needs and capabilities of small firms. Lowered Financing Costs: The BGB is specifically focused on lowering the financing costs of green and climate-resilient projects. This makes these types of investments more accessible and affordable for small businesses which often face higher barriers to accessing capital. Targeted Support for Key Sectors: There are several sectors that the BGB will target for financing, including electric vehicle conversion for public service vehicles, agricultural businesses like aquaponics and greenhouses, and climate-resilient housing and infrastructure. Partnerships with Other Institutions: The BGB will work alongside other agencies and financial institutions to provide specialised financing instruments. This collaborative approach can further enhance the support available to small businesses and drive innovation in the climate finance space.

There has been much debate at the national level about the migration to green technology without the concomitant discussion on how this investment will be financed. The BGB is being positioned to address this financing gap. As noted by one minister of government, the Bank represents a paradigm shift in how Barbados approaches development, integrating climate resilience and sustainability into the core of the economic framework. This aligns with the Bank’s broader mission to support the country’s sustainable development and climate resilience.

Proponents of the Bank argue that there is an inextricable link between climate and development, noting that climate change impacts every aspect of life and there is need for development strategies to reflect this reality, which the BGB aims to address. Further there are comprehensive financial and policy measures, including significant tax incentives, which will accompany the launch of the BGB. These measures are designed to create an ecosystem for sustainable development, where the Bank is just one part of a broader effort to support sustainable industries and a resilient future for Barbados.

The funding proposal for the BGB identifies sustainability and scalability as key tenets for the Bank’s success. The BGB aims to attract more concessional or philanthropic providers of capital, expanding the goals of climate action in Barbados without the need for further injections of money by the Government and GCF. This will create long-term sustainability and scalability in the banking sector, with the potential to scale beyond Barbados into the broader Caribbean region over time.

Overall, the BGB represents a comprehensive and innovative approach to unlocking green investments for small businesses in Barbados. By providing flexible financing, lowering costs, and targeting key sectors, the Bank aims to enable small firms to transition to more sustainable and climate-resilient operations, contributing to the country’s broader sustainability goals.

The Small Business Association of Barbados (www.sba.bb) is the non-profit representative body for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).