ECLAC Recognizes State Role in Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery

On Tuesday, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Secretary Alicia Barcena recognized the State's role in the post-pandemic economic recovery and urged governments to comply with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

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"Latin American public institutions should renewed their capacities to interpret and work in complex contexts and with high levels of uncertainty," Barcena insisted, recalling that the region has reported 45,5 million COVID-19 cases and 1,5 million related deaths since 2020.

In that year, Latin America also suffered the deepest economic downturn in the last 120 years with a 6,8 percent drop in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and an increase in poverty and extreme poverty of 33.7 percent and 12.5 percent, respectively.

"The health crisis showed the structural backwardness of our States," Barcena stressed and urged Latin American governments to boost the usage of renewable energies and the development of the health manufacturing industry.

"This way, Latin America will be able to prepare for health crises with a strong economic model, which will also allow developing new social projects," she insisted and proposed to ensure transparency of public information and access to it for all citizens.

So far, 70 percent of the ECLAC countries have passed government transparency and public participation laws. However, only 7,4 percent of them have met ten or more sustainable development goals. 

"We must also move forward in the fulfillment of these goals, which will allow our countries to advance in useful planning and social equity," Barcena concluded.