Panama City will become the focal point for regional development policy this week as political leaders, ministers, and international specialists gather from October 19 to 21 to recalibrate poverty reduction strategies across Latin America and the Caribbean. The three-day event combines two major forums organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), CAF-development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, and Panama’s Ministry of Social Development.
The gathering opens with the Regional Conference on Poverty under the theme “End of Poverty: Recalibrating Strategies, Renewing Commitments,” followed by the XVIII Ministerial Forum on Development. Delegations from approximately 20 countries are expected to participate.
⌛Es mañana 🌎 ¿Qué es el #ForoMinisterial2026? Un espacio regional que reúne a autoridades y especialistas para intercambiar experiencias y analizar políticas frente a los desafíos de desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe. 📅 20–21 oct. | Panamá 🇵🇦 En el marco del Foro, la #CEPAL organiza la Séptima Reunión de la Mesa Directiva de la Conferencia Regional sobre Desarrollo Social de América Latina y el Caribe 👉https://t.co/If8o6XgHnn @ONUPanama @JoseMSalazarX @PNUDLAC @CancilleriaPma
— CEPAL (@cepal_onu) October 19, 2026
High-Level Panels and Keynote Speakers
The inaugural session features former Chilean President Gabriel Boric Font and former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, alongside Panama’s Minister of Social Development Beatriz Carles de Arango and UNDP Regional Director Michelle Muschett. Economist Nora Lustig will deliver a keynote address following the opening ceremony.
The conference agenda centers on strengthening data usage, linking social policies with productivity and sustainability, and exploring new tools to accelerate poverty reduction. Organizers emphasized that these discussions take on added urgency following the October 9 earthquake in Panama, which highlighted the need to place resilience at the core of development and early recovery efforts.
Ministerial Forum Focuses on Productive Growth
The XVIII Ministerial Forum on Development, running October 20-21, will address how to drive productive sectors that generate inclusive and sustainable growth. Participating delegations will examine ways to strengthen social policy, expand opportunities, reduce vulnerabilities, and improve institutional coordination amid fiscal constraints.
A central theme is connecting policies for resilient development, with sessions designed to help countries exchange evidence and experiences. The goal is to promote integrated public responses capable of reducing inequalities and strengthening national resilience across the region.
Regional Coordination and Recovery Lessons
Both forums provide a platform for exchanging lessons learned from recent crises affecting the region. The earthquake response in Panama serves as a case study for how countries can integrate resilience into development planning and early recovery phases.
Organizers said the events aim to renew commitments and generate actionable policy frameworks that address both immediate vulnerabilities and long-term structural barriers to inclusive development. The outcomes are expected to inform national strategies and regional cooperation efforts in the coming year.