Lula da Silva calls for collective action and regional integration in climate of uncertainty

During the opening session of the International Economic Forum on Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Panama City, the President of Brazil defended multilateralism, regional integration and cooperation among countries as central responses to the challenges facing the region in a global context marked by geopolitical instability, the resurgence of unilateralism and tensions in international trade.

In this context, he underscored the importance of the Forum as a strategic space for Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss their own interests and strengthen their presence in the international system.

"Remaining divided makes us all more fragile," said President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. "In a context of the breakdown of the liberal order, the resurgence of protectionism and unilateralism, Latin America and the Caribbean need to act with pragmatism and assume that possible integration is based on plurality, cooperation and concrete results. No country in the region will solve its historical challenges alone; only collective action will allow us to strengthen our international insertion and guarantee development, peace and prosperity for our peoples".

Lula da Silva pointed out that the region is going through a period of institutional fragility and low political coordination, which has limited its capacity to respond jointly to systemic challenges. Among them, he mentioned health crises, the advance of transnational organized crime and the effects of climate change, warning that regional fragmentation reduces the political and economic weight of Latin America and the Caribbean at the global level.

According to the president, the current international scenario calls for a pragmatic integration model, capable of coexisting with the political diversity of the countries and oriented towards concrete results. Faced with the breakdown of the liberal order and the return of protectionist practices, he affirmed that the region cannot remain divided, as this deepens common vulnerabilities. In this regard, he said that the ability to act in a coordinated manner will have an impact not only on regional development, but also on the stability of the international system.

The inaugural session of the Forum was led by Sergio Díaz-Granados, CAF's Executive President, together with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; Rodrigo Paz, President of Bolivia; Daniel Noboa, President of Ecuador; Bernardo Arévalo, President of Guatemala; Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia; Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica; and the President-elect of Chile, José Antonio Kast.

During his speech, Sergio Díaz-Granados, CAF's executive president, underscored the historic nature of the meeting and the need to strengthen regional integration in the face of global challenges. "This Forum was created to think about how we can give our nations the necessary coordination capabilities and how we can strengthen our region, integrating among ourselves and with the rest of the world. In the midst of fragmentation, we need broad, bold and high-impact spaces for reflection to align positions, add geopolitical protagonism, and provide the region with its own voice to contribute concrete solutions and courses of action".

Díaz-Granados also highlighted CAF's role in supporting countries in solving regional problems and its expansion plans for the next five years: "We have the foundations to achieve exponential growth of our portfolio: we aspire to expand the bank by at least 70% by 2031, which means close to USD 100 billion in new approvals, and at least 20% of them for the private sector.

The Forum will bring together heads of state and government, ministers, business leaders, representatives of international organizations and academics to discuss the main challenges and opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 6,000 people from 70 countries registered.

The agenda includes key issues such as economic growth, regional integration, sustainability, investment, inclusion and competitiveness, with the aim of building, through dialogue, concrete solutions to promote the region's development.