The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will present on Friday, April 3, a report entitled Latin America and the Caribbean and the COVID-19 pandemic: economic and social effects, in which it addresses this critical juncture, scenarios and projections ahead of 2030 in light of the current global pandemic crisis.
The publication will be unveiled at a virtual press conference given by Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, from Santiago, Chile, at 13:00 local time (UTC/GMT -3:00).
The presentation will be transmitted live on the Internet via the institution’s website. Journalists can send their questions ahead of time to the email address conferenciaprensa@cepal.org, and ECLAC’s Executive Secretary will respond to them live once she has finished presenting the document. Questions will only be taken until 13:30 local time on Friday.
The report analyzes the context in which COVID-19 is battering Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that confronts the pandemic from a weaker position than the rest of the world. The region grew at an estimated rate of just 0.1% in 2019, and the Commission’s latest forecasts, made last December, foresaw 1.3% growth in 2020. However, a conservative estimate accounting for the pandemic’s impact, with data that is still in the process of stabilizing, has led ECLAC to forecast negative growth of -1.8% for the region, with a probable downward bias.
Even before the spread of COVID-19, the social situation in Latin America and the Caribbean was deteriorating, with an increase in the indices of poverty and extreme poverty, persisting inequalities, and widespread social discontent. In that context, this crisis will have negative repercussions on health and education, as well as on employment and poverty, the organization indicates.
Members of the media are invited to participate in tomorrow’s virtual press conference. Journalists can join it starting at 13:00 local time (UTC/GMT -3:00) via ECLAC’s website. Questions on matters related to the press conference must be sent ahead of time to the email address conferenciaprensa@cepal.org. Questions will only be taken until 13:30 local time.
The full electronic version of the document, and a press release, will be available on ECLAC’s website on Friday, April 3 as soon as the press conference has concluded.
What: Launch of the report Latin America and the Caribbean and the COVID-19 pandemic: economic and social effects.
Who:
When: Friday, April 3, 2020, 13:00 local time in Chile (GMT -03:00).
Where: Virtual connection via ECLAC’s website.
For queries and to arrange interviews, contact ECLAC’s Public Information Unit.
Email: prensa@cepal.org; Telephone: (56 2) 2210 2040.
