Business

Leaders, experts discuss post-Covid-19 'Marshall plan' for Latin America

Madrid, Jan 29 (EFE), (Camera: EFE).- Agencia EFE presented Friday the debate 'How to achieve a Latin American post-Covid-19 Marshall Plan?' on the ocassion of the World Economic Forum 2021, which is being celebrated on these days.The debate was moderated by EFE's president Gabriela Cañas.FOOTAGE OF EFE'S PRESIDENT GABRIELA CAÑAS AND REBECA GRYNSPAN, IBERO-AMERICAN SECRETARY-GENERAL, DURING THE DEBATE. SOUNDBITES OF:-ALEJANDRO WERNER, DIRECTOR OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF):"It is estimated that Latin America (n) (economy) contracted by 7.5% last year and that it will grow by 4.1% in 2021. On average, the region will recover its production levels by 2022 and, regarding per capita production, by 2023.""Once the pandemic is over, as I said before, the region will have to invest in infrastructure and climate change-oriented infrastructure, and also will have to strengthen its social security and education systems." -CARLOS FELIPE JARAMILLO, WORLD BANK VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION:"I personally think that we have to focus on what to do in the region in the future. There is a lot to do and we can see many opportunities, but we have to take advantage of these opportunities.""On a global level, this time we have to pay attention to the context and we see three revolutions that are affecting all of us around the globe: the digital revolution, the green revolution and the innovation revolution.""I think that the biggest challenge we face in our countries is taking advantage of this context and these three great revolutions."-MAURICIO CLAVER-CARONE, PRESIDENT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (IDB):"The Marshall plan for Latin America already exists and it is called the recapitalisation of the Inter-American Development Bank (IBD).""The pandemic has affected the whole world, but we know that it has affected Latin America and the Caribbean in a disproportionate way since it is one of the most unequal regions in the world.""With only 8% of the world population, our region has registered one third of the global Covid-19 deaths."