ECLAC Convenes High-level Dialogue on New Frontiers of Economic Thinking

Authorities and leading experts will examine the new frontiers of economic thinking in today's global context at a high-level meeting to be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, Chile.

The international seminar The London Consensus in Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by ECLAC and the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), will open at 9:00 a.m. local time (GMT -4). Opening remarks will be delivered by José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC, and Andrés Velasco, Dean of the LSE School of Public Policy.

Following the opening session, Andrés Velasco-co-editor of the publication The London Consensus: Economic Principles for the 21st Century -will deliver a keynote address. The London Consensus proposes a new development framework developed by a broad group of economists and experts, coordinated by the LSE. The initiative brings together lessons learned over a quarter century since the Washington Consensus and outlines a set of principles to guide thinking and policymaking on economic development.

Since its inception, ECLAC has been characterized by its analysis of the geopolitical and geoeconomic conditions shaping development processes in the region. In line with this tradition, the Commission has promoted an agenda of reflection, analysis, and research aimed at rethinking and reimagining development policies in a profoundly transformed global context, marked by geopolitical tensions, shifts in globalization, rapid technological change, and mounting environmental challenges.

In this context, the Commission sees value in an in-depth analysis of the proposals of the London Consensus and their implications for Latin America and the Caribbean. The region faces specific challenges-including productive heterogeneity, low productivity, external and domestic financing constraints, social inequality, and vulnerability to external shocks-that require differentiated policy responses. It is therefore pertinent to assess and contrast the London Consensus proposals with ECLAC's conceptual and empirical framework, as well as with its policy recommendations in areas such as productive development, macroeconomics for development, and international integration.

The seminar will be structured around three thematic areas: productive development policies; macroeconomic challenges for growth with stability and equity; and trade and investment dynamics in a changing global economy. Its objective is to provide a space for reflection and dialogue that contributes to enriching the regional debate on how to respond to a context of disruption.

Prominent participants will include Ricardo Hausmann, Professor of the Practice of Economic Development at Harvard University; Paula Estévez, Undersecretary for International Economic Relations of Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Tristan Reed, Economist in the World Bank Development Research Group; and Mario Marcel, former Minister of Finance and former President of the Central Bank of Chile, among other distinguished figures.

Journalists and media representatives wishing to attend the event in person are requested to register in advance by emailing [email protected] .

WHAT: International seminar The London Consensus in Latin America and the Caribbean

WHO: High-level authorities and experts, representatives from academia and multilateral organizations, officials from the United Nations and ECLAC

WHEN: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local time)

Opening session - 9:00 a.m. Chile time (UTC/GMT -04:00):

• José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC
• Andrés Velasco, Dean, LSE School of Public Policy

WHERE: ECLAC headquarters (Av. Dag Hammarskjöld 3477, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile - Raúl Prebisch Conference Room)

Virtual participation (live streaming):

• Live streaming site: https://live.cepal.org
• Official X account: https://x.com/eclac_un
• Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/eclac