Latin America and the Caribbean has strategic assets that the world needs. Transforming them into development requires clear strategies, strong institutions and regional cooperation. That is the main message of the report Ruptures and opportunities: Proposals for Latin America and the Caribbean to thrive in the new geopolitical era, prepared by the ECLAC Commission on Geopolitics, Globalization and Development for Latin America and the Caribbean and presented today in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, in the framework of the United Nations regional organization’s forty-first session.

The presentation of this report, prepared by 13 commissioners from 12 countries in a process lasting over a year, featured opening remarks by José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary. Following that, Michelle Bachelet and Iván Duque – the Commission’s Co-Chairs – joined Commission member Keith Nurse to unveil the document’s content.

Four core messages marked the presentation

Context and assets: The world has changed. And the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean possess assets that the world needs – assets that countries are competing for today and that have gained in value in the new geopolitical context: energy, food, critical minerals, biodiversity, productive capacities, talent and more.

Strategy and action: The challenge is to transform these opportunities into development and international influence. This can be achieved by mobilizing the region’s assets, but it will not happen spontaneously. It requires clear strategies, strong institutions and effective governance.

Cooperation: The region does not have to agree on everything to cooperate on turning these assets into development. Pragmatic cooperation and coordination are needed, not unanimity.

Geopolitical agency: On the global stage, the most appropriate strategy for expanding the region’s international agency is to broaden options, avoid rigid alignments, diversify alliances and strengthen capabilities for geopolitical analysis and action.

The presentation of this report featured comments by Albert Ramdin, Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS); José Antonio Ocampo, professor emeritus at Columbia University; and Mario Lubetkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay (virtually).

Subsequently, a Dialogue of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and High-Level Authorities took place. There, participants examined the document and analyzed its main recommendations for Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen its capacities for addressing the challenges posed by the new global geopolitical and geoeconomic scenario.

Authorities analyze how to manage transformations

On the second day of the 41st session, participating authorities inaugurated a high-level seminar convened to conduct an in-depth analysis of ECLAC’s position document entitled Managing Transformations in an Era of Ruptures.

The publication – presented on Wednesday, October 7 by ECLAC’s Executive Secretary – examines the “game changer” in external conditions for development, with the aim of understanding, anticipating and successfully navigating the new global context. It also advances the discussion on possible paths to address development challenges – the “hows” – by introducing a new analytical framework on governance and institutional architecture, centered on the paradigm of transformative capabilities as a prerequisite for driving sustainable structural change.

The session’s discussions, which will continue through Friday, October 9, will focus on three key topics: (i) a new stage of regional integration: what to do and how to move forward; (ii) digital transformation, artificial intelligence and productive development; and (iii) macroeconomics for development and sound and strong taxation.