Our first webinar focused on the ¨Role of multilateral agencies in supporting Latin American countries through the COVID-19 crisis¨. Representatives from the World Bank (WB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), discussed the role of multilateral organizations during and after this crisis, the different measures countries are taking to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19, and presented some of their recommendations for policy-making and international cooperation to lead the road ahead.
COVID-19 has triggered severe health, economic, human, and political crisis throughout the world. Nations are doing their best to curb the spread of the virus with containment measures that have disrupted productive activities. Economies have been paralyzed, and citizens have been in more or less severe quarantines, causing a contraction in demand that is having negative repercussions in the world's GDP. International organizations warn that the coronavirus pandemic is causing a deep global recession and the outlook is uncertain.
In this new global scenario, it will be necessary to take urgent measures and redefine the region's economy. Latin America must lead the road ahead through international cooperation, high impact initiatives from both public and private sectors, policymaking, and collaboration from all sectors including academia and civil society.
Joint cooperation among nations has never been as important as today. In this context, LALP and our Alumni Network have built a platform that aims to connect leaders in Latin America to share knowledge and impact our society. Our purpose is to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. Facilitate knowledge and collaboration across countries in the region. Help Latin American economies to overcome socioeconomic, technological, and environmental challenges and achieve social welfare.
Through our LALP Alumni Webinar Series, "Latin America: Leading the Road Ahead", our goal is to strengthen international cooperation, promote the exchange of best practices and knowledge among countries to mitigate COVID-19 and support our almost 700 alumni within the whole Ibero-American region.
The expert panel for our first webinar discussed:
- What has been the response to COVID-19 across the region?
- What has been the role of multilateral agencies during the crisis?
- What macroeconomic measures have been recommended for Latin America?
- What are policymakers currently doing to lead ahead of their economies?
- What are the implications of public debt to rescue national economies?
- How health containment measures and economic policies can converge?
- What have been the different experiences in reactivating the economy?
- How joint cooperation in overcoming social challenges?
- Success stories in Latin America and the Caribbean
- What opportunities are present in Latin America?
- Leading the road ahead. What's next?
Featured
Panelists
Alicia Montalvo Santamaria is the executive director, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, and Sweden at the Inter-American Development Bank.
Sebastián Nieto Parra is head of Latin America and the Caribbean at the Development Centre of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Humberto Lopez is acting vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean Region at the World Bank.
Moderator
Ricardo Ernst is the executive director of Georgetown University´s Latin America Leadership Program.