With the outbreak of the pandemic, fiscal balances in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) deteriorated and public debt increased significantly. When combined with the expected slowness of economic recovery, this will put significant pressure on the sustainability of public finances for countries in the region. Given this scenario, these countries urgently need to develop and … [Read more...] about Latin American and Caribbean countries must adopt a pro-growth fiscal strategy to avoid falling into a debt trap
Now it is the time to Foster Labor Formalization in Latin America and the Caribbean
There is an urgent need to reduce labor informality to encourage inclusive growth after the pandemic is over in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Labor formality boosts government revenue and targeting of transfers, increasing productivity and curtailing poverty. Given that the region has one of the highest labor informality levels in the world, targeting informality is … [Read more...] about Now it is the time to Foster Labor Formalization in Latin America and the Caribbean
Possible macro-fiscal consequences of COVID-19 in Latin America
The pandemic does not come to the region in good time, the little dynamism of growth in recent years generates uncertainty of the outlook for the future. For 2020, the consensus among analysts expects a drop in output in Latin America and the Caribbean between -2% and -6%, which comparative terms would be deeper contractions than the debt crisis of the eighties (-2.4%) and the … [Read more...] about Possible macro-fiscal consequences of COVID-19 in Latin America
Policy and fiscal management during the pandemic and post-pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean
As is well known, COVID-19 is highly contagious and has a higher mortality rate among at-risk groups than other similar viruses. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) the first contagion case was registered in late February 2020 and by April 20 the number of people infected was 100,000-plus, with 5,300 dead. Unfortunately, these figures quickly became outdated. The outburst … [Read more...] about Policy and fiscal management during the pandemic and post-pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean
Subnational governments and coronavirus: five critical actions the IDB is supporting
Subnational governments (SNGs) in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic. Their proximity to the population and to its needs and demands gives them a prime opportunity to gain early first-hand knowledge of the crisis’s evolution. In the region’s large countries, SNGs are directly responsible for the health response[1], managing … [Read more...] about Subnational governments and coronavirus: five critical actions the IDB is supporting