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…
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…
En 2022, los países de América Latina y el Caribe enfrentan los efectos de una serie de choques que han deteriorado sus condiciones de inversión y producción, entre ellos la crisis financiera global, las tensiones económicas entre grandes polos de la economía mundial, la pandemia de COVID-19, la guerra en Ucrania y el resurgimiento de la inflación, en un contexto en el que se agudiza la emergencia ambiental y se acelera la revolución tecnológica. Numerosos analistas y organismos internacionales hablan de una serie de crisis en cascada entre las que se citan crisis climática, de salud, de emple…
The 29th session of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) concluded on 14 October in Paramaribo, Suriname. Some of the most urgent and challenging issues facing the Caribbean were discussed at this meeting, inspiring a commitment to strategic action-oriented follow-up, to assure more dynamic sustainable development process.
Convened by ECLAC Caribbean, the CDCC meeting is held every two years and gathers Caribbean Prime Ministers, Ministers and distinguished government officials, with a focus on strengthening their countries’ institutional and technical capacities to impr…
What: Seventh (7th) meeting of the Caribbean Development Roundtable.
When: 12 to 13 October 2022 (Opening ceremony at 8 am).
Where: The Royal Torarica Hotel, Kleine Waterstraat 10, Paramaribo, Suriname.
Background Information
The Caribbean Development Roundtable brings together regional and international development thinkers and practitioners, leaders and senior policymakers from ECLAC member States and associate member countries, representatives of the UN System, regional and international financial institutions, academia, and civil society, including the private sector, as well as o…
The Caribbean faces multidimensional vulnerabilities driven by climate change and aggravated by Small Island Developing States’ natural and economic characteristics (SIDS). A critical natural feature of SIDS is the extreme vulnerability to climate-change-induced events. Economically, the Caribbean has followed the global trend of seeing its urban areas swell during the last decades. Moreover, the region’s coastal areas expose human settlements, infrastructure, and businesses to external shocks, such as climate change-induced extreme weather events. In addition, the 2019 novel coronavirus disea…
Many international development agendas highlight the importance of quality data for sustainable development. With the advent of the data revolution for sustainable development, stakeholders have underscored the value of timely, usable data in informing decision-making and for monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes, be it in relation to national development planning or as regards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other international development agendas. Crucially, the COVID-19 pandemic, more than anything else in recent times, has demonstrated the value of tim…
Given the human, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 across the world and the Latin American and Caribbean region, since its onset the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has focused its work agenda on assessing the impact of the pandemic on the three dimensions of sustainable development. To contribute to these efforts, this paper presents the Methodology for the Assessment of Disasters (known as Damage and Loss Assessment – DaLa) developed by ECLAC, and its applicability in the national assessments of the effects of COVID-19. The Commission is therefore making…
Dadas las repercusiones humanas, sociales y económicas de la pandemia de enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19) en el mundo, y en los países latinoamericanos en particular, la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) orientó su agenda de trabajo, desde el inicio de la pandemia, a evaluar sus impactos en las tres dimensiones del desarrollo sostenible. Con el objetivo de contribuir a dicha tarea, en este documento se presenta la metodología de evaluación de daños y pérdidas (damage and loss assessment (DaLA)) creada por la Comisión, y su aplicabilidad en las evaluaciones naciona…