Cities at the crossroads of economic growth Cities are the economic engine of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), generating more than 75% of the regional GDP. Their prosperity and growth lead to that of the entire region. For this reason, the economic recovery of metropolitan areas after the COVID-19 pandemic must be rapid, long-lasting, socially inclusive, and … [Read more...] about How will cities thrive? The strategic role of Local Economic Development Agencies
Gilberto Chona
Former Lead Specialist, Urban Development Economics. Inter-American Development Bank (Washington, DC). He was an expert in the formulation and supervision of action plans for urban regeneration in intermediate cities of Central America and the Caribbean. In 2015-2017 he served as Regional Coordinator for the Emerging and Sustainable Cities Program (ESC) in the Urban Development and Housing Division of the IDB. He also formulated and supervised studies and investment projects for urban regeneration, human settlements improvement, and affordable/sustainable housing in several countries. His 30 years of experience at the IDB include fiscal, institutional, and operational analysis in 14 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. His areas of concentration were the fiscal sustainability of cities, leveraging private investment in cities, institutional governance of cities, and smart city solutions. He is an Urban Planner graduated from the Simón Bolívar University of Venezuela (1986) and has a Master in City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT (1991).
How to avoid being a victim of cyber-attacks?: New IDB guide for smart cities
Many aspects of our daily life, although we are not aware of it, are fully dependent on the proper functioning of the internet. A cyber-attack on a company, or a local public entity, a few years ago would have been almost anecdotal. However, as digitization increases, so does risk exposure and vulnerability to cyber-attacks. On today’s blog we present a guide prepared by the … [Read more...] about How to avoid being a victim of cyber-attacks?: New IDB guide for smart cities
Urban inclusion after covid19
how can universal accessibility help improve post-pandemic city life? Disability inclusion is one of the social issues that have been gaining prominence in recent years as an essential part of sustainable development. This social approach, based on a human rights perspective, is amplified by the importance of disability inclusion in urban planning, design, and … [Read more...] about Urban inclusion after covid19
Municipalities and social housing: urban financing tools to alleviate the deficit
In the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, national governments are overwhelmed by the quantitative and qualitative housing deficits. In most countries it would take at least 50 years of sustained investments to just ease the quantitative deficit. The solution seems like a gigantic task. This situation requires a more active role of the municipalities in the provision … [Read more...] about Municipalities and social housing: urban financing tools to alleviate the deficit
More and better social housing increases inclusion in Latin American and Caribbean cities
In Latin America and the Caribbean there are few consensus issues as clear as the need to produce more and better housing for low-income families. This consensus engages governments right and left, and moves both national and local governments, as well as private business and NGOs. We have around 500 million people in the region living in cities under an accelerated, defective … [Read more...] about More and better social housing increases inclusion in Latin American and Caribbean cities