Report of the twenty-ninth session of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

Practices and initiatives for the development of cross-border e-commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean and its impact in the post-pandemic era

E-commerce fosters innovation and contributes to the process of digital transformation of MSMEs through the implementation of digital technologies, new business practices and new business models, which can improve the efficiency and productivity of companies beyond the effects on access to new national and international markets. This document presents some practices and policies that governments in Latin American and Caribbean countries have implemented before and after the COVID-19 pandemic to promote the participation of MSEs in cross-border e-commerce, including measures to deepen the penet…

Digital inclusion in Caribbean digital transformation frameworks and initiatives: a review

This study evaluates the extent to which digital inclusion is considered in Caribbean digital transformation frameworks. Digital inclusion considers the ways in which digital divides are created as the digital transformation of society progresses, and how societal inequalities affect and are affected by digital technologies. As such, digital inclusion is a lens through which the effects of the digital transformation can be assessed. The study assesses the digital transformation policies of 11 countries and territories of the Caribbean and complements this analysis with qualitative data gathere…

Caribbean Outlook 3: Economic recovery and repositioning in the era of COVID-19. Policy Brief

The economies of the subregion were hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those dependent on tourism. As a result, the Caribbean has seen a reversal of the hard-won gains achieved in growing their economies and reducing unemployment and inequality. The inflation stemming from pandemic supply chain disruption, which has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, has made the sustained uptick in economic performance beyond pre-pandemic levels unlikely, notwithstanding strong growth estimates for 2021 and 2022. The last two years have taught the region that continued ‘business as usual’ is…

Improving broadband quality and affordability in the Caribbean: Policies to advance digital inclusion in the subregion. Policy Brief

In this digitally transforming world, digital inclusion is becoming increasingly important to social inclusion and sustainable development. Affordable access to broadband is an essential precondition to digital inclusion. Internet quality, as measured by speed and other indicators, is also important, as digital inclusion is ultimately about ensuring equal access to the benefits and opportunities offered by digital technologies and the Internet. This policy brief provides insight into Internet speed and affordability across the Caribbean, and offers some recommendations for policymakers working…

Revista CEPAL Nº 138

Documento actualizado el 15 de febrero de 2023.…

Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development: Lessons from the Caribbean’s energy transition

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is important in advancing sustainable development across the globe. One approach available to countries to promote their sustainable development agendas is the advancement of STI to support the adoption of renewable energy technologies. The continued reliance on fossil fuels in the Caribbean is one of the factors hindering the rate at which countries within the subregion are developing. Taking this into account, this study assesses whether the advancement of STI is driving the energy transition in the Caribbean subregion and draws lessons on how STI can…

La regulación ex ante de la competencia en la era digital

Debido a las características técnico-económicas de los nuevos modelos de negocio en la economía digital, la regulación actual sobre competencia muestra cierta insuficiencia para prevenir y corregir las prácticas reñidas con la competencia en estos mercados. Como consecuencia, expertos han recomendado la adopción de regulación innovadora ex ante para complementar las herramientas tradicionales en mercados digitales. Salvo en el caso de control de concentraciones, la utilización de herramientas ex ante no es tan frecuente y muchas autoridades han emitido algunas reservas en cuanto a su uso en la…

Bilateral modern services trade between India and Latin America and the Caribbean in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

The Information Technology enabled Services sector (also referred to as modern services) has been one of the fastest growing segments of India’s exports to and foreign direct investment in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) over the past decade. This sector also showed significant resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many Indian firms were able to reinforce their digital transformation, which strengthened their growth and export potential. India’s main comparative and competitive advantages are its large educated workforce, a developed Information and communication technologies (ICT)…

México: política industrial y tecnologías disruptivas

En el marco de la cuarta revolución tecnológica, incluyendo las innovaciones disruptivas que esta impulsa, las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones (TIC) y la digitalización parecen ser indispensables para que los países puedan aprovechar estos avances de forma transversal. Así, el acceso equitativo a internet y otras tecnologías digitales es indispensable no solo para el desarrollo de los países, sino también para reducir las diferencias socioeconómicas con la llegada de nuevas tecnologías. Este análisis adquiere aún mayor relevancia ante las condiciones del COVID-19. Con una vi…

The payment landscape of B2C e-commerce marketplaces in Latin America and the Caribbean

This paper studies the digital payments landscape of B2C e-commerce marketplaces in Latin America and the Caribbean. It presents the main characteristics of different digital payment methods, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. It also examines how digital payments contribute to financial inclusion and it describes the global and regional trends and prospects. It presents the main findings of an exhaustive analysis of payment methods accepted by more than 550 transactional marketplaces in 33 countries in LAC. It also examines the main obstacles to development of digital payments in …

The Latin American regulatory environment for digital trade

The volume of trade in digitally enabled services in Latin America and the Caribbean is determined, in part, by the complexity and heterogeneity of the regulatory environment in home and destination markets, according to firm-level surveys conducted in the region. This report analyses the regulation of digitally enabled and computer services in 13 Latin American countries using the Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index (DSTRI) and the Services Trade Restrictiveness Index for computer services (CSSTRI) developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The re…

A Deep Dive into Caribbean Digital Divides: A Cross-Country Comparison on Internet and Computer Access and Use in the Caribbean

The Caribbean has experienced transformative change in terms of digital technologies in recent years. Broadband penetration has increased, 3G and 4G coverage is nearly universal in several countries, and most countries of the subregion have a higher number of internet users than the global average. However, significant digital divides remain across the Caribbean, as evidenced by several relevant indicators related to information and communications technologies (ICTs).…

Investing in an Inclusive Digital Future for the Caribbean

The Caribbean is undergoing a digital transformation: More people than ever have access to digital technologies and the internet, and both businesses and government entities are increasingly providing online services. While significant disparities remain both within and among Caribbean countries in terms of access to digital technologies and infrastructure, the influence of digital technologies on the subregion has increased significantly in recent years, particularly in response to the public health measures implemented to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Director's Desk: Digital Divides and Inclusion in the Caribbean “New Normal”

The pace of the digital transformation of the Caribbean has increased rapidly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with more governments, businesses and individuals using information and communication technologies (ICTs) than ever before. However, as the digital realm has become more important, the cost of exclusion from it has also increased, and threatens to deepen inequalities in the subregion.…

Illustrating Internet Speed Divides in the Caribbean During COVID-19

Discussions on digital inclusion and the digital divide have been ongoing at the global level for over 20 years. While early discussions focused primarily on the gap in access to digital technologies between countries, new digital divides have emerged as the technology has become more advanced and its impact on society has increased.…

Digital Divides and Inclusion in the Caribbean “New Normal”

CEPAL Review No. 138

.…

The effect of broadband on economic growth in Latin America: an approach based on a simultaneous equations model

This work analyses the effects of broadband on economic growth in Latin America, distinguishing between mobile and fixed broadband. Although there are studies on the countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in the Latin American region such research is scarce. This work uses data from 20 countries for the period 2010–2018 and estimates a simultaneous equations model based on Koutroumpis (2009) and Katz and Callorda (2013). The results show that mobile and fixed broadband make a significant positive contribution to the region’s economic growth. A 1% increa…