Kevin Hope is a development economist and Principal of Hope Economics, serving as Senior Advisor on Finance and Economic Affairs to the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Trained in economic statecraft through an Executive Diploma in Development Policies and Practices (DPP) from the Graduate Institute in 2024, he works at the nexus of sovereign debt, climate change, and development planning. In this interview, he reflects on the evolving role of Caribbean technocrats, climate justice at COP29, and strategies for building resilience in vulnerable economies.
My career has been defined by the Caribbean’s struggle against structural vulnerability. I began my journey at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) and later at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Working through the Global Financial Crisis and the debt restructurings that followed, I witnessed the debt-disaster cycle where hurricanes wipe out infrastructure, forcing nations to borrow for recovery, thereby shrinking their fiscal space for the future.
I realised that focusing solely on inflation targets and fiscal balances was no longer enough. To truly serve the region, I needed to build resilience by integrating climate science, social policy, and international diplomacy into fiscal planning. This insight led me to pursue the DPP programme, recognising that addressing today’s polycrisis requires a deep understanding of the global political economy. Immersing myself in International Geneva would allow me to grasp the machinery of multilateralism and translate the Caribbean’s existential threats into the actionable language of global finance.
One of my most rewarding undertakings has been advising the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I believe a modern technocrat cannot just look at the numbers; we must look at the real economy. My work bridges the gap between fiscal strategy and tangible impact, balancing debt sustainability with urgent growth in tourism and agriculture. By structuring partnerships with global lenders and driving local implementation, I ensure that financial planning translates into real recovery and development.
On the global stage, the most challenging project was my involvement at the 2024 COP29 in Baku. As part of the team advocating for the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund, we faced a David and Goliath battle regarding the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). The lesson here was that moral arguments are not enough; you need empirical ammunition. By presenting our case, which proved that 97% of climate-vulnerable countries are at risk of debt distress, we were able to shift the debate from charity to justice. We successfully advocated for the Fund to prioritise grants over loans, ensuring that we don’t force drowning nations to pay for their own life rafts.
The DPP programme was the catalyst that transformed me from a technical economist into a strategic policy practitioner, fundamentally altering how I view my role. I learned that the era of the isolated specialist is over; today, success requires breaking down silos and viewing them as a holistic tool for social and environmental engineering.
Beyond strategy, the programme refined my ability to use data for advocacy. I came to understand that while data informs, it is the framing of that data that persuades. Now, when negotiating with bodies like the IMF or World Bank, I can speak their language effectively using their own Debt Sustainability Frameworks to model our local reality. This allows me to challenge assumptions and advocate for our needs using evidence that is both rigorous and undeniable.
Finally, living and learning in Geneva gave me a vantage point into the black box of international organisations, revealing how decisions are made as often in the corridors as in the boardrooms. This exposure has been instrumental in my work with development partners in the Caribbean. By understanding the unspoken red lines and the geopolitics of donor countries, I can now craft proposals that are ambitious enough to drive change, yet diplomatic enough to be viable on the global stage.
Looking ahead, my central goal is to dismantle the debt-disaster nexus that holds the Caribbean hostage. I aim to champion the widespread adoption of Climate Resilient Debt Clauses (CRDCs)—mechanisms that automatically halt debt payments when a hurricane hits.
I see my role evolving from a national advisor to a bridge-builder. I want to ensure that Small Island Developing States are not merely rule-takers but rule-makers. Armed with the strategic toolkit from the Graduate Institute, I am positioned to help rewrite the rules of global climate finance, ensuring that the vulnerability paradox is addressed and that the Caribbean sits at the table as a co-author of its own destiny.
My path from UWI to international finance taught me that technical skill is the baseline; adaptability is the edge. I prioritise three essentials: integrative thinking across disciplines, data literacy to assert credibility in high-stakes negotiations, and a bottom-up perspective grounded in real economies. The most effective policy sits at the intersection of systems, evidence, and lived experience.
Interview conducted by Vrinda Kapoor
