The International Road Federation returns to Guyana for the first time since 2019, gathering transport experts from over 30 Caribbean nations for four days of talks.
By LCN Newsroom
Georgetown, Guyana · 22 July 2026
IN BRIEF
The International Road Federation opened its 13th Caribbean Regional Congress in Georgetown on 22 July 2026, drawing delegates from over 30 Caribbean countries. COO Magid Elabyad said the event exists to share transport expertise across the region.
What is the 13th IRF Caribbean Regional Congress?
The 13th IRF Caribbean Regional Congress runs from 21 to 24 July 2026 at the Atlantic Conference Centre, Pegasus Suites, in Georgetown, with the official opening on Wednesday 22 July. The International Road Federation (IRF Global) organises the event, and Guyana's Ministry of Public Works is hosting this year's staging.
The Federation has worked under one banner since it was organised in 1948, and its chief operating officer, Magid Elabyad, pointed back to that history in conversation with La Caribeña News. “Better roads, better world,” he said, describing a mission that has not changed in almost eighty years. Safe access to schools, reliable public transport, and roads that move people and goods without delay all sit inside that single idea.
Why is the Congress meeting in Guyana again?
Guyana last hosted an IRF Caribbean congress in 2019. Elabyad said the country he saw on this visit had changed sharply since then, with visible development driven by the oil era. Official data put national growth at about 43 per cent in 2024, among the fastest rates in the world, and the non-oil economy has kept expanding alongside it.
That growth is exactly why the Federation sees Guyana as a fitting host. A booming economy places heavy new demand on roads, ports, and public transport, and it gives regional delegates a live case study in building infrastructure at speed. The arrival of global institutions in Georgetown, from banks to development agencies, has signalled the same shift in how the world reads Guyana, a theme LCN examined when Citi opened its Georgetown office.
What does the IRF hope the Congress will achieve?
Elabyad framed the congress as a meeting place the region has long lacked. Caribbean nations face similar problems, he said, yet they rarely have a forum where the private sector, governments, and academia can compare what has worked. The four-day programme brings together public works officials, development banks, engineers, contractors, researchers, and road safety advocates from across the region.
This year's agenda concentrates on road safety, climate resilience, sustainable ways to finance infrastructure, and preparing regional networks for new mobility systems, including large-scale vehicle electrification. Expertise from outside the region, drawn from Europe, Asia, and beyond, sits alongside Caribbean experience so that governments can carry practical lessons home.
How does the Congress connect to Guyana's own transport agenda?
The regional conversation does not end when delegates fly home. It continues on home soil at Beyond the Wheels 2.0, the National Transportation and Safety Forum staged at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on 6 and 7 October 2026. Where the IRF congress gathers regional experts, Beyond the Wheels 2.0 pulls Guyana's own insurers, logistics operators, and public-sector voices into the same room.
Road safety runs through both events. LCN has reported on the case for local road-safety data rather than imported assumptions, and on how driver culture shapes Guyana's road toll. The IRF congress adds a regional and technical layer to a debate Guyana has already begun.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the 13th IRF Caribbean Regional Congress held?
It runs from 21 to 24 July 2026 at the Atlantic Conference Centre, Pegasus Suites, in Georgetown, Guyana. The official opening is on Wednesday 22 July 2026.
Who is Magid Elabyad?
Magid Elabyad is the Chief Operating Officer of the International Road Federation (IRF Global) and an organiser of the 13th Caribbean Regional Congress.
How many countries take part in the Congress?
The congress gathers delegates from more than 30 Caribbean countries and territories, along with experts from outside the region.
What is the International Road Federation?
The IRF is a global road and transport body organised in 1948. Its stated mission, “Better roads, better world,” focuses on safer and more efficient transport networks.
How does the Congress relate to Beyond the Wheels 2.0?
The IRF congress is the regional expert gathering in July. Beyond the Wheels 2.0, on 6 and 7 October 2026 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, carries the same road-safety agenda into a national Guyanese forum.