This document outlines a strategic plan for sustainable development in Antigua and Barbuda. It identifies three priority market niches to focus on: tourism and trade, government equity finance, and education and technology. The plan establishes strategic directions to promote these niches, including continuing to build tourism, establishing a sovereign equity fund, and developing an education hub focused on technology. It defines actions in business assistance, external marketing, education, and partnerships to implement the plan over several phases and with regional resources. The overall goal is a prosperous economy sustained by preserving natural, social, and human capital.

1. Sustainable Development Strategic Plan
Antigua and Barbuda
10/1/2014
Presented by
Vezta Co.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary 3
1.0 Introduction 6
1.1 Background and Purpose of the Strategic Plan 6
1.2 The Planning Process 7
2.0 Sustainability Framework 9
3.0 Strategic Directions 10
3.1 Potential Target Niches 10
3.2 Strategic Directions 10
4.0 Action Plan 15
4.1 Overview 15
4.2 Action Plan 15
Figures and Tables
Figure 1. Fund Proposal Diagram 12
Appendix 17

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Antigua and Barbuda (the Country) has experienced a fundamental economic transformation in the
latter part of the 20th
century, fueled by a decline in the Country’s traditional agricultural base and
the blockage of certain lucrative industries such as the gaming industry. This decline was related to
global economic shifts that continue today as agricultural activities move overseas and are replaced
by a knowledge and service-based economy. Throughout the West Indies, communities are
struggling to adapt to the economic realities of the 21st
century; emerging evidence indicates that the
successful ones will be those that most effectively utilize their existing assets.
Antigua and Barbuda's economy continues to be service-based, with tourism and government
services representing the key sources of employment and income. Tourism accounts directly and
indirectly for more than half of GDP and is also the principal earner of foreign exchange in Antigua
and Barbuda. However, a series of violent hurricanes since 1995 resulted in serious damage to
tourist infrastructure and periods of sharp reductions in visitor numbers. In 1999 the budding
offshore financial sector was seriously hurt by financial sanctions imposed by the United
States and United Kingdom as a result of the loosening of its money-laundering controls. The
government has made efforts to comply with international demands in order to get the sanctions
lifted. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the
sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher
wages in tourism and construction. Nevertheless, much hard work remains to be done to bring
about a new level of prosperity and expanded economic opportunities for citizens.
The Sustainable Development Strategic Plan defines a program focusing Country resources on
actions that can most effectively promote a more prosperous economy. It has three basic objectives:
1. It establishes target market niches (business/industry sectors and social/occupational groups)
that are attracted by the Country’s assets and which can expand economic opportunity and quality of
life for citizens if developed as part of the overall economy.
2. It establishes principles and criteria to ensure that these niches contribute to achieving a
sustainable economy that conserves precious resources for future generations.
3. It defines strategic actions that the Country and its nation partners can take to most effectively
promote development of the target niches.
Target Market Niches
A range of business/industry sectors and social/occupational groups can be identified as potential
targets for initiatives and programs to improve the Country’s economy. Three priority (target) niches
on which it can focus its resources to promote economic development:
• Tourism & Trade • Government Equity Finance • Education & Technology

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Two of these niches relate to already established programs (promoting tourism and education)
while Government Equity Finance via a sovereign fund represents new directions for the Country.
Providing equity financing to projects is a vital component of the economy and encouraging
technological entrepreneurs. Selection of the above niches does not imply that other business
sectors or occupational groups cannot remain or evolve into important components of the
Country’s economy, only that they will not be the primary targets of the resources to promote
economic development.
Two fundamental premises of the plan are:
1. The economies of the County and the larger CARICOM region are inextricably linked.
2. Cooperation at different levels of government and among public and private sector agencies,
institutions, and organizations will be critical to the success of the plan.
Based upon the identified target niches, three Strategic Directions were established as a framework
for actions to be taken to implement the Strategic Plan:
Strategic Direction #1: Tourism & Trade
Continue to build Antigua and Barbuda as a center for visitation to and within the region based
upon cultural/heritage tourism, eco-tourism, yachting, and special attractions and events.
Strategic Direction #2: Sovereign Equity Fund
Build on current initiatives to establish Antigua and Barbuda as a strong internal funder of
infrastructure development and entrepreneurship via creation of a sovereign equity fund, to be
funded by both global institutional and individual investors.
Strategic Direction #3: Education & Technology
Establish the Country as a center of technology-based entrepreneurial activity by aggressive fostering
of education hubs such as the previously planned National Energy and Skills Centre (NESC),
with focus on technological advancement of the Country’s human capital.
Sustainable Economy
The primary goal of the Strategic Plan is to promote a prosperous economy that can be sustained over
the long term. This goal depends upon preserving, restoring, and leveraging the Country’s special
historic, cultural, natural, and human resources. The following working definition of sustainable
economic development guides efforts to achieve the goal:
Promote economic activity that imports financial capital to Antigua and Barbuda from
outside of the region while sustaining natural, social, and human capital as measured by:
• Environmental (natural and historic) resource preservation
• Viability of social and cultural institutions
• Economic access and opportunity for the Country’s residents
All three Strategic Directions support sustainable economic development as measured by these
criteria.

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Strategic Actions
The Sustainable Development Strategic Plan identifies a series of actions to be taken by to
implement each Strategic Direction. These actions fall into four categories:
• Business Assistance: Technical and financial assistance and incentives for infrastructure projects
and entrepreneurs and small businesses in the target niches.
• External Marketing: Marketing Antigua and Barbuda via investment promotion and media to
attract investors, individuals and businesses from outside the region that fit the target niches.
• Internal Education/Outreach: Education and training for the Country’s citizens with a
technological focus related to the target niches, as well as outreach to achieve public support for the
Strategic Plan.
• Regional Partnerships: Building partnerships and leveraging the resources of agencies and
organizations at various levels for the implementation of the Strategic Plan. The comprehensive range
of actions identified for the above categories show that successful implementation of the Strategic
Plan will require:
1. Prioritization and phasing of actions over time.
2. Significant commitment of resources working with partners throughout the region.

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