CDB recommits to disability inclusion at global summit 2025   

Published on Apr 7, 2025

The Caribbean Development Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to championing dis- ability inclusion in the region, as part of its participation in the Global Disability Summit 2025 held in Berlin, Germany.

The Summit, jointly organised by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Government of Germany and the International Disability Alliance, brought together global leaders to chart a unified path forward for the rights and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Representing the Bank at the Summit, Isaac Solomon, Vice-President (Operations), says “We stand ready to support our Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) that endorsed the Declaration in fulfilling their commitments to having at least 15% of their development programmes at the country level pursue disability inclusion.” said Dr. Solomon.

He added that CDB is working to embed disability considerations into its projects, policies, and performance standards, and is committed to strengthening partnerships across the region to achieve systemic change.

PWDs in the Caribbean continue to face disproportionate barriers to education, employment, healthcare, and social protection. In response, the Bank has taken mean- ingful steps to incorporate inclusive practices across its operations — from develop- ing a Disability Inclusion Checklist for infrastructure projects, to supporting regional assessments and building technical capacity within BMCs.



Anthony George, Operations Officer at CDB, underscored the importance of working directly with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and empowering those most affected.