The CARO Centre has been established as part of the OHADAC-CARO project, led by ACP Legal and co-financed by the Interreg Caribbean 2021-2027 programme, with the support of the European Union and the French Development Agency (AFD). This initiative aims to strengthen regional integration by facilitating economic exchanges and securing investments through tailored legal instruments, particularly in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). The CARO Centre thus contributes to the development of a more secure economic environment and supports Caribbean stakeholders in their growth and development.

The Secretary General of the CARO Centre participated in the 2026 Annual Conference of the International Impact Lawyers Working Group (IILWG) and the Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship at New York University School of Law, held in New York from 2 to 4 June 2026.

This international event brought together academics, legal practitioners, impact investors, social entrepreneurs and representatives of development institutions.

The conference opened with a simple yet powerful idea: “Impact is what you do to others”.

This reflection served as a guiding theme throughout many discussions on the responsibility of economic actors, the concrete effects of investments on communities, and the ways in which legal mechanisms can support more inclusive and sustainable economic models.

The programme explored a broad range of topics, including the evolving legal landscape of impact investing, the impact of artificial intelligence, Community Land Trusts, legal education, Benefit Corporations, as well as career development and leadership within the impact law ecosystem.

The Secretary General of the CARO Centre also contributed to a workshop dedicated to dispute resolution in the context of impact investing: “Alternative Dispute Resolution and Impact Investing.” The workshop was based on the findings of the study Resolving Impact Investment Disputes: Current Practices and Future Opportunities, conducted by the Grunin Center and White & Case LLP.

The discussions examined several real-life situations faced by impact investment funds and their beneficiaries, as well as mechanisms capable of preventing or managing difficulties arising during the implementation of funded projects.

One of the key lessons emerging from the discussions was that disputes arising in the field of impact investing cannot be reduced to a traditional opposition between creditor and debtor, or claimant and respondent. They often involve a broader range of stakeholders — including investors, beneficiaries, local communities, development finance institutions and public authorities — whose interests must be balanced in order to preserve the social and environmental objectives pursued by the investment.

The discussions also highlighted the growing importance of dispute prevention mechanisms, governance frameworks, stakeholder dialogue and remediation processes aimed at addressing difficulties before they escalate into formal disputes. In many situations, the primary objective is not to identify a winner and a loser, but rather to preserve relationships, restore trust and enable projects to continue pursuing their impact objectives.

Participation in the conference provided the CARO Centre with an opportunity to further its reflection on the evolution of dispute resolution mechanisms in development and impact investment projects, while strengthening exchanges with leading international actors active in these fields.

This participation forms part of the CARO Centre's ongoing efforts to promote dispute prevention and dispute resolution mechanisms adapted to the contemporary challenges of economic, social and environmental development across the Greater Caribbean.