Panama City, October 19, 2026. Alberto Arenas de Mesa, Director of the Social Development Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), participated in the regional conference 'End Poverty: Recalibrating Strategies, Renewing Commitments', organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and CAF—Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean—. The meeting brought together government authorities, representatives of international organizations, and specialists to analyze the challenges facing the region to accelerate poverty reduction, sustain the progress achieved, and strengthen social development strategies.

The conference featured the participation of prominent authorities, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, Javier Martínez-Acha Vásquez; the Vice-Minister of Social Development of Panama, Roberto Arosemena; United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Michelle Muschett; and the Manager of Strategic Planning and Development Impact at CAF, Daniel Ortega. The programme also included an inaugural dialogue with former Presidents Gabriel Boric of Chile and Álvaro Uribe of Colombia, as well as a keynote address by the renowned economist Nora Lustig on the challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean regarding poverty and inequality.

Representing ECLAC, Alberto Arenas de Mesa spoke on the panel 'Multilateral Initiatives Facing the Challenge of Overcoming Poverty', alongside representatives from UNDP, CAF, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This panel aimed to promote the exchange of experiences and institutional perspectives on the strategies needed to address poverty in the region, with a particular focus on the contribution of multilateral cooperation, evidence generation, and the strengthening of public policies. Mr. Arenas de Mesa highlighted the importance of social registries and information systems in responding to new challenges.

ECLAC's participation in this meeting was framed within its work aimed at advancing towards inclusive social development and reducing the deep structural inequalities that characterize Latin America and the Caribbean. The conference provided an opportunity to renew regional commitments and strengthen cooperation between governments and international organizations to eradicate poverty.