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CAF hosts first economic forum in Panama

27 January 2025
This content originally appeared on Jamaica News | Loop News.
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Leading policymakers and experts are set to gather in Panama this week for the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) International Economic Forum 2025.

The event, which will take place at the Panama Convention Centre in Panama City on January 29 to 30, will focus on key topics such as impact investment, the green energy transition, digitalisation, and infrastructure.

CAF said the forum’s design—including main plenaries, simultaneous sessions, private meetings, and launches—will foster valuable networking opportunities and promote innovation, climate action, and the strengthening of logistics systems across the region.

Scheduled to speak at the event are Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, along with several Caribbean Ministers of Finance and public finance officials.

In a statement, Sergio Díaz-Granados, CAF's Executive President, said: “Latin America and the Caribbean has the potential to become a region of global solutions to the great challenges of development, but at the same time it must achieve sustained and inclusive growth and address its structural problems, such as inequalities, low productivity or poverty reduction. This Forum will be a key step towards these goals, as it will outline concrete action plans to improve the quality of life and create a fairer, more resilient and sustainable economy."

The event will kick off with opening remarks from Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, followed by a speech from Díaz-Granados.

On Day One, the forum will feature a presentation by Paraguay President Santiago Peña and former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, speaking on the topic: “One World, Two Visions”.

Other key sessions on Day One include: “Airport infrastructure, air connectivity, and tourism: drivers for promoting regional development”, “Clean energy: the region's potential to accelerate the energy transition” and “How to attract more foreign investment to Latin America and the Caribbean?”

Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister will be one of the main speakers on Day Two.

Key sessions on Day Two include: “The role of ports and logistics in the sustainable growth of Latin America and the Caribbean”, “The impact of economic growth on poverty reduction”, “Food security as an opportunity for growth and regional development” and “Road safety and infrastructure: a necessity for development”.

The event will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/@CAFenVideo