The United Nations regional commission’s thirty-eighth session concluded with a ceremony led by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed; the Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena; and Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, Rodolfo Solano.

In a special chapter of the “ECLAC’s Horizons” program, the organization’s Executive Secretary delved into the issues addressed during the Commission’s 38th session and the policy proposals for a post-pandemic recovery.

In its Preliminary Overview of the Economies of the region, ECLAC forecasts an average contraction of -7.7% for 2020 – the largest in 120 years – and a rebound of 3.7% in 2021.

The structural problems of Latin American and Caribbean economies and new international scenarios make it essential for FDI to contribute to driving development with equality and environmental sustainability in the region, ECLAC says in its annual report on this topic.