Mastering Regional Challenges and Opportunities

With weakening demand for commodities, lower prices and slower growth rates, the region’s leaders are being challenged to increase productivity and prioritize policies to continue delivering on the social front. Modern infrastructure is key to improving competitiveness, and can be achieved through public-private frameworks that ensure certainty for long-term investments. By strengthening small and medium enterprises, family businesses and entrepreneurship, the region could create jobs and help reduce poverty and informality. Technology can play an important role – using the mobile economy, for example – in reaching the marginalized, giving them access to key services. In some countries, polarization is an additional hurdle to progress and to advancing regional integration, but societies are demanding more transparency and curbing inequality in decision-making. The combination of these interventions can further drive inclusive development in the region, ensuring that young people are involved and gender balance is achieved.