How the global south can finance AI infrastructure on its own terms
By Catherine Cheney // 02 March 2026
Jonathan Reid, minister of innovation, industry, science, and technology in Barbados, is a busy man — so much so that he joined Friday’s recording of Devex’s Global Progress in the AI Era podcast from his car.
He’d just left a meeting with Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, where artificial intelligence was a key focus of the conversation. “How do you scare people less, and how do you help people more?” he said.
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About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.
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