On Monday March 6, 2023, government officials and experts will come together at two high-level events organized by the CAF-development bank of Latin America- and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Among other topics, participants will debate the challenges related to taxation and decentralisation in the region and the role of public policies and cooperation for gender equality.
Both in-person events will be held at the ECLAC headquarters in Santiago to coincide with the CLXXVII meeting of the CAF board of directors scheduled for March 6-9 in Chile.
The first, the High-Level Meeting: Public Policies and Cooperation for Gender Equality, will be held from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. local time in Chile (GMT -3), to commemorate National Women’s Day, March 8.
The opening remarks will be offered by ECLAC Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, CAF Executive President Sergio Díaz-Granados, and the Chilean Vice-Secretary of Women and Gender Equality, Luz Vidal Huiriqueo.
Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, the first Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women and former High Commissioner for Human Rights, will offer the keynote speech. Other speakers include Renata Vargas, Brazilian Secretary of International Affairs and Development; Claudia Sanhueza, Chilean Vice-Secretary of the Economy in Chile; Carolina Leitao, President of the Association of Municipalities and mayor of Peñalolén (Chile); and María José Torres Macho, UN Resident Coordinator in Chile.
At this meeting, CAF and ECLAC seek to foster a high-level dialogue where experiences, ideas and proposals can be shared on the challenges of incorporating a gender perspective when designing and implementing public policies and regional cooperation.
On Monday afternoon, the CEPAL-CAF Conference on Rethinking Decentralisation: Challenges for the 2030 Agenda will be held. The aim of this gathering is to contribute to the debate on how to improve the capabilities of subnational governments (tax collection, budget execution, etc.). A second topic is how to more efficiently design and organize relations between different levels of government to foster local development, innovation and the creation of opportunities.
After the opening remarks by José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs and Sergio Díaz-Granados, the two representatives will sign a Memorandum of Understanding between CAF and CEPAL. Other invited speakers include Nicolás Grau, the Chilean Minister of the Economy, Development and Tourism; José Antonio Ocampo, Colombian Minister of the Economy and Public Credit; and Renata Vargas Amaral, Secretary of International Affairs and Development at the Ministry of Budget and Planning of Brazil.
All participants must be registered to attend these two events, which will be held at the ECLAC headquarters in Santiago, Chile (Av. Dag Hammarsköld 3477, Vitacura, Santiago. Raúl Prebisch conference room). Journalists are required to present a press card from their news outlet or ID for entry.
