United States Advances Trusted Digital Infrastructure at CANTO 2026

The United States joined regional officials, regulators, and industry leaders from Caribbean nations this week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organizations (CANTO) Annual General Meeting, reaffirming America’s commitment to secure, trusted digital infrastructure across the Caribbean.  U.S. officials engaged Caribbean governments to exclude untrusted vendors from their ICT ecosystems and adopt an upgraded and secure approach to network modernization.  Ahead of the conference, the Department convened the U.S.-Caribbean Digital Transformation Accelerator August 7-8, connecting Caribbean regulators with U.S. companies and partners to advance concrete, country-specific projects on undersea cables, 5G financing, satellite connectivity, and AI readiness.

The United States announced a significant new Caribbean and Central America undersea cables initiative to strengthen secure digital infrastructure by expanding trusted, high-speed connectivity in our region and build resilient, secure networks.  The Department of State is pairing this effort with legal and technical assistance, delivered through the Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program, to help governments draft trusted-vendor legislation and protect critical infrastructure.  Together, these efforts will help ensure our hemisphere’s digital networks remain reliable, trusted, and positioned to support long-term economic growth and security.

The United States congratulates the Dominican Republic on its leadership to advance trusted digital infrastructure and commits to continue delivering technical assistance, financing tools, and diplomatic engagement to ensure the Caribbean’s digital transformation creates lasting opportunities for American and Caribbean businesses alike.