The private-sector financing arm of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has confirmed plans to invest US$15 million in a regional fund arranged by Sygnus Capital.
It marks the World Bank Group’s first debt fund transaction in the region, the IFC indicated Friday. The investment in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Resilience Fund (CCRF) Debt Sub-Fund had been disclosed as pending in November 2025. It is now confirmed, with the IFC detailing a split structure: Up to US$5 million in a senior tranche and up to US$10 million in a mezzanine tranche.
“Innovative vehicles like the CCRF Debt Sub-Fund deliver customised financing solutions that enable medium-sized enterprises to operate effectively, expand, and generate employment,” stated Elizabeth Martinez de Marcano, IFC division director for the Andean Countries and the Caribbean.
Ultimately, the debt sub-fund is targeting US$75 million, with the option to scale up to US$125 million.
“Building a more resilient and sustainable Caribbean is central to Sygnus’ mission, and IFC’s investment represents a significant milestone for both the CCRF platform and the region,” said Berisford Grey, co-founder, president and CEO of Sygnus.
Under its allocation framework, up to 70 per cent of capital committed will go toward on-lending to medium-sized enterprises, with the remaining 30 per cent directed to resilience and sustainability projects, including infrastructure.
Financing will be deployed across 13 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, spanning seven priority sectors — energy, water, agriculture, housing, transportation, financial services, and information and communications technology.
The IFC framed the investment against a backdrop of acute financing constraints across the region. Domestic credit in Caribbean small states stands at just 32.8 per cent of GDP, while the financing gap for the region’s businesses exceeds US$22 billion, the corporation said.
The announcement also cited the toll of Hurricane Melissa, the category-5 storm that caused significant damage across Jamaica, The Bahamas and Dominica in 2025, as underscoring the urgency of resilient infrastructure investment.
The debt sub-fund is part of the broader CCRF platform, a 10-year vehicle launched in January 2024 with the CARICOM Development Fund as anchor investor and first-loss capital provider.
In its 2025 fiscal year, the IFC committed a record US$71.7 billion globally to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries.
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