From July 15 to July 17, 2026, the Foreign Trade Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a comprehensive training workshop focused on the OECS Integrated Risk Management Framework. The three-day event took place at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.
The training sessions brought together a wide range of representatives from various national institutions. Participants included officials from the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards, the General Employees Co-operative Credit Union (GECCU), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Transformation.
Other attendees represented the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine and Land Conservation, and Climate Resilience, as well as the Private Sector Development Unit and the Sustainable Development Unit. The Consumer Affairs Unit, Customs and Excise, and the Modern Port Operations Company were also present for the sessions.
The program was led by Trade and Customs Consultant Nigel Edwin of Saint Lucia, who facilitated the first and third days of the workshop. On the second day, he was joined by Ms. Shernelle Brazel, a local expert in Customs Risk Management and ASYCUDA, to provide specialized instruction.
The core objective of the training was to promote practical, risk-based approaches to improve how the movement of goods is managed across the borders of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. These sessions provided stakeholders with tools to strengthen border management and trade security.
Following the conclusion of the workshop, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment and Diaspora Affairs stated its continued commitment to working with national and regional stakeholders. The goal of this ongoing collaboration is to foster a trade environment that is increasingly efficient, resilient, and competitive.
