Record STMT-W75C23EAdvisory

Interim Report: Toward Harmonized AI Policies and Recommendations for the Caribbean

Report Institutional policyLatin America and the Caribbeandraft

This interim report by the CARICOM CTU's Caribbean AI Taskforce outlines preliminary recommendations for harmonizing AI policies and governance across the Caribbean. It addresses the region's vulnerabilities, connectivity paradox, and data sovereignty concerns, while proposing five areas of action spanning governance, infrastructure, sector innovation, human capacity, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. The report serves as a starting point for regional consultations leading to a final report and forum in 2026.

Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.

Who issued it

Caribbean Telecommunications UnionIntergovernmental

Lead issuer

Legal forceAdvisory

Under whose authorityInstitutional policy

Judged fromfull text

Who it governs

National governmentRegulatorsPublic sector bodiesCompaniesResearchers and academics

Caribbean policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, researchers, and civil society stakeholders should read this to understand and contribute to the region's emerging collaborative AI strategy.

Sectors

Cross-sectorPublic administrationResearch and science

What the document contains

What's covered

The document covers the current socio-economic and digital landscape of the Caribbean, analyzes regional gaps in data infrastructure, human capacity, and innovation, and lays out guiding principles and preliminary policy recommendations for harmonized AI governance across CARICOM member states.

What's missing

It does not provide binding legal enactments, final enforcement mechanisms, or completed national legislation, as it is an interim consultative report intended to gather feedback for a 2026 final deliverable.

Key takeaways

The Caribbean faces a connectivity paradox where high digital adoption is undermined by fragile infrastructure, high costs, and fragmented regulation.
A harmonized regional AI policy framework is urgently needed to avoid regulatory divergence and loss of data sovereignty across CARICOM states.
Five core principles anchor the strategy: human-centric rights, inclusivity, data sovereignty, regional collaboration, and resilient sustainable development.
Proposed actions include establishing a regional AI policy framework, strengthening data governance and HPC infrastructure, and boosting sector innovation.
The report calls for comprehensive education reform, upskilling, and multi-stakeholder engagement through an annual Caribbean AI Forum.

Principles it states

Human-Centric, Rights-Based, and Ethical AIInclusivity, Equity, and Sustainable DevelopmentData Sovereignty, Governance and SecurityRegional Collaboration, Harmonization, and IntegrationSustainable Development, Resilience, and Resilient Innovation

Outline

· Our Caribbean
· Our Data & Infrastructure
· Our Innovation & Industry
· Our Capacity & Education
· A Note on External Investment & Financing
· The Need for Regional Governance
· Guiding Principles
· Preliminary Recommendations
· Conclusion
· The CTU Caribbean AI Task Force
· About the CTU Caribbean AI Task Force

IssuedDecember 2025

Length8,363 words · 28 pages

FormatNot recorded

Scoperegional

How it scores

Pending review

Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.

Accountability

4/5

Clear responsibility for AI outcomes

This framework should define the regulatory architecture for AI model development, deployment, and accountability, ensuring consistency in how AI is designed, procured, and used throughout the region.

Preliminary Recommendations, 1. Establish a Harmonized Regional AI Policy Framework

screening score · 2026-10-23

Fairness

4/5

Non-discrimination and equitable treatment

Align with existing CARICOM human rights norms to protect citizens from bias, discrimination, or misuse of AI systems, while embedding Caribbean cultural and ethical values into governance principles.

Preliminary Recommendations, 1. Establish a Harmonized Regional AI Policy Framework

screening score · 2026-10-23

Human Dignity

4/5

Respect for the inherent worth of persons

In a region where economic vulnerabilities already undermine human dignity AI development must prioritize fundamental rights, cultural integrity, and ethical safeguards to prevent further marginalization.

Guiding Principles, 1. Human-Centric, Rights-Based, and Ethical AI

screening score · 2026-10-23

Human Oversight

2/5

Humans remain in control of consequential decisions

updating curricula to include coding and data skills, and civic competencies that help people question, interpret, and guide algorithmic decisions in schools, workplaces, and public services.

Preliminary Recommendations, 4. Build Human Capacity, Skills and Awareness for the AI Age

screening score · 2026-10-23

Privacy

4/5

Protection of personal data and private life

Modernize and harmonize data protection laws while creating regional data stewardship institutions that govern access, privacy, provenance, and interoperability.

Preliminary Recommendations, 2. Strengthen Data Governance and Digital Infrastructure for AI

screening score · 2026-10-23

Impact Assessment

4/5

Required assessment of an AI system's risks/impacts before or during use

Establish minimum regional standards and codes of practice for AI service providers to govern data stewardship, privacy and security safeguards, documentation and transparency expectations, incident reporting, auditability requirements, evaluation, risk and impact assessments.

Preliminary Recommendations, 1. Establish a Harmonized Regional AI Policy Framework

screening score · 2026-10-23

Topics

artificial_intelligence regional_governance caribbean data_sovereignty capacity_building