Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Latin America

The report outlines a strategic agenda for Latin America to transition from a commodity-dependent region to a competitive global actor. It emphasizes three pillars: creating innovative models for a sustainable future, rebalancing global economic recovery, and rising capabilities for regional transformation. Key recommendations include shifting energy subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables, improving education quality to move up the value chain, and strengthening the rule of law to combat organized crime and corruption.

• Latin America faces a risk of becoming a spectator in the global shift of power from developed to developing economies unless it implements immediate structural reforms to increase competitiveness and sustainability.
• To achieve a sustainable future, the region must transform its energy sector by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and shifting public subsidies toward renewable energy sources, while providing compensation for low-income populations who rely on those subsidies.
• The region's economic growth is currently driven by commodity exports, but long-term prosperity requires moving up the value chain through educational reform and the development of a robust services industry.
• Infrastructure deficits in basic services and digital connectivity are major hurdles; doubling infrastructure investment could provide a significant competitive advantage, provided there are transparent legal frameworks and consistent policies across government changes.
• The prevalence of drug cartels and organized crime has weakened regional institutions and created a 'grave situation' of corruption and insecurity that inhibits foreign investment and growth.
• There is a growing strategic trade relationship between Latin America and Asia, with Asia potentially replacing the US and Europe as the region's top trading partner over the next decade.
• Educational systems in the region are criticized for prioritizing coverage over excellence, leading to poor performance in international benchmarking assessments.

APA

World Economic Forum (2012). Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Latin America. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/LA12/WEF_LA12_Report.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Latin America. 2012. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/LA12/WEF_LA12_Report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Latin America |date=April 2012 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/LA12/WEF_LA12_Report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2012regional, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Regional Agenda World Economic Forum on Latin America}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2012}, month = apr, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/LA12/WEF_LA12_Report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }