Dominican Republic assumes leadership at ECLAC with a focus on concrete results
The Dominican Republic successfully concluded the meeting of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) held in Santiago, marking the beginning of its leadership at the head of this organization for the 2026-2028 period. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Víctor (Ito) Bisonó, made a forceful call to transform political debates into tangible investments and effective public policies that positively impact the quality of life of citizens.
During his speech at the closing ceremony, Bisonó emphasized that the region is going through a critical moment marked by technological and climatic changes, which requires strategic coordination between the private sector, the State, and civil society to ensure sustainable development.
The true value of the meeting begins now, in our ability to give continuity to the ideas we have shared and turn them into public policies, cooperation projects, and alliances that produce real results.
Víctor (Ito) Bisonó, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Strategic challenges for the region
The Dominican Foreign Minister highlighted the fundamental pillars that will mark the agenda of the Dominican presidency at ECLAC:
- Digital transformation: The use of artificial intelligence to increase productivity, preventing the technological gap from increasing social inequality.
- Economic stability: The commitment to fiscal sustainability, the quality of public spending, and the search for new financing avenues for social projects.
- Climate resilience: The urgent need to implement financial instruments that allow Caribbean countries to mitigate risks from extreme natural phenomena.
- Trade integration: Strengthening value chains and improving connectivity, both physical and digital, between the nations of the region.
Towards the 2027 Forum
As part of its duties, the Dominican Republic will host the Forum of the Countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on Sustainable Development in April 2027. This event will be key to evaluating compliance with the 2030 Agenda and mobilizing resources to strengthen the region’s productive capacity.
For his part, the executive secretary of ECLAC, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, welcomed the willingness of the delegations to reach points of convergence. He highlighted that integration is the most effective tool for small economies to overcome their scale limitations and compete globally.
With this closing, the country takes the first step towards a management that will seek to turn words into deeds, consolidating a regional agenda oriented towards innovation and the collective well-being of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
