About Mission Barbados

Mission Barbados is a bold national effort to build an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient society by 2030.

It began in 2023, when Prime Minister Mottley announced the need for a long-term strategy to transform Barbados by the end of the decade. This strategy became known as Mission Barbados.

The goal? To set clear national priorities and mobilize the entire country—government, private sector, labour, and citizens—to work together to achieve them.

At its heart are six ambitious missions, each focused on solving a real problem—from climate change and food insecurity to digital exclusion and social fragmentation.

Together, these missions set a new direction for Barbados. They are about doing things differently, raising our collective ambition, and building a future of dignity, opportunity, and excellence for all Bajans.

Begin with the challenges

Mission Barbados begins with the challenges we face—and turns them into opportunities to build a better future.

Barbados, like all countries, faces serious and complex challenges:

  • Climate change is threatening our coasts, our economic opportunities, and our way of life.
  • Barbados’ value system is constantly changing, and many citizens feel disconnected from the decisions that affect them.
  • We are at risk of food and water insecurity, two of the most basic rights we deserve.
  • Deteriorating physical and mental health, and pockets of social instability, add uncertainty to our lives.
  • Our economic system has left many workers and citizens financially marginalised and vulnerable.
  • We are slow to adopt new technologies and struggle with inequitable digital access.

However, these are not just problems to manage. They are opportunities to drive bold, positive change.

The mission-driven approach does just that. It starts by asking: What kind of Barbados do we want to become by 2030?

From there, it defines clear national missions that bring focus and direction to our efforts. This approach is grounded in research from Professor Mariana Mazzucato and the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) and has been adopted by governments around the world.

Each mission sets a shared goal and mobilizes the country to reach it—together. It’s about doing fewer things, better—and unlocking the potential of Barbados in the process.

Bring the country together

Mission Barbados is an all of country undertaking. It belongs to all of us. It is our right and our responsibility.

From the very beginning, it has been shaped and led by the Social Partnership—the alliance of government, labour, and business that has helped guide Barbados through many of its biggest challenges.

In May 2023, the Government and Social Partners signed the Declaration of Mission Barbados, setting out the six missions as national priorities. Each mission was the product of months of consultation with unions, employers, civil society, and communities across the island.

As Prime Minister Mottley has said: “Whenever Bajans come together as one, we succeed—and Barbados wins.”

Set ambitious goals

At the heart of Mission Barbados are six bold missions—each one focused on solving a major challenge facing the country.

These missions are not vague policy ideas. They are clear, concrete goals that define where we want to be by 2030. They are designed to inspire action, focus our energy, and create lasting value for future generations.

Together, they form a blueprint for national transformation:

  • Mission 1: Sustainable development
    By 2030, become a clean and beautiful large-ocean state, championing sustainable development locally and globally – with the goal of all domestic activities becoming 100% sustainable by 2035.
  • Mission 2: Citizen empowerment
    By 2030, transform Barbados into a country of active, involved citizens. All Barbadians will feel empowered and engaged in the social, economic, and cultural development of the country as confident, creative, compassionate and entrepreneurial citizens.
  • Mission 3: Food and water security
    By 2030, ensure that every Barbadian has equitable and reliable access to clean water and nutritious food that are affordable.
  • Mission 4: Public health and safety
    By 2030, create a society that prioritizes wellness and happiness. Improve public health and safety, leading to a 50% reduction in new cases of non-communicable diseases and a 50% reduction in crime.
  • Mission 5: Worker empowerment
    By 2030, empower and enfranchise all Barbadian workers and families by creating opportunities for ownership and wealth creation that enable Barbadians to take better care of themselves and each other and reduce the rate of poverty by 50.
  • Mission 6: Digital transformation
    By 2030, transform Barbados to be a high-functioning, resilient society with seamless access to services and meaningful digital inclusion for all Barbadians.

These missions belong to all Barbadians. Each one sets the direction—and Mission Barbados is how we get there.

Shaping the Future With Our Missions

These missions are long-term goals designed to make Barbados a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive place for everyone. We identified six main missions to tackle some of our biggest challenges, from economic stability to digital access. These missions guide our efforts to create positive changes that will benefit all Barbadians.

Sustainable Development

Citizen Empowerment

Digital Transformation

Public Health & Safety

Worker Empowerment

Food & Water Security