Geo-Economics and Politics

Latin America at Davos 2025: What to expect from the region’s participation

Latin America at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland

Voices from Latin America's public and private sectors are set to discuss the region's agenda, including challenges such as economic development, sustainable growth, and governance. Image:  Willian Justen de Vasconcellos/ Unsplash

Lucila Pinto
Writer, Forum Stories
This article is part of: World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
  • The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Annual Meeting will provide an opportunity for Latin American countries to position themselves as key players in critical discussions.
  • The summit will feature Latin American heads of state as well as numerous public and private sector leaders, Indigenous peoples representatives and youth activists from across the region.
  • Here are the key speakers and public sessions focusing on Latin America. Lea este artículo en español aquí.

This week, around 3,000 public and private sector leaders from around the world are gathering in Davos, Switzerland, for the 2025 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum.

This year, Latin American leaders will join critical discussions for the region’s future—from financing a just energy transition to achieving effective and fiscally sustainable governance in a changing geopolitical landscape.

The Annual Meeting will feature the presence of Latin American heads of state, along with ministers, central bank presidents, governors, mayors, and representatives from 11 countries in the region.

In addition to sessions dedicated exclusively to the region's challenges, Latin American representatives will participate in key debates and discussions on sustainability, financial institutions, and strategies to revitalize economic growth. All of this will unfold under the central theme of this edition: Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. These sessions will not only showcase the region's challenges but also its innovative solutions and proposals.

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Latin American leaders and representatives at Davos 2025

The 2025 Annual Meeting will feature public addresses from several heads of state including President Javier Milei of Argentina, President Dina Boluarte of Peru, and President José Raúl Mulino of Panama.

They will be joined by key figures such as Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank; Maisa Rojas Corradi, Minister of Environment of Chile; Alicia Bárcena, Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico; Alberto van Klaveren, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile; and Demian Reidel, President of the Advisory Council of the President of Argentina in the Office of the President of Argentina, along with other representatives from the region.

Sustainable growth and fiscal policy

This year will be a key year for growth in Latin America, with a projected expansion of 2.4%. However, this growth must be both equitable and sustainable, combining economic progress with social impact.

The Economic Report on Latin America and the Caribbean from the Inter American Development Bank highlighted that in 2024, the region managed to reduce inflation through interest rate hikes and reversed pandemic-related spending increases. Now, Latin American countries face new challenges: lowering interest rates without triggering capital outflows, reducing fiscal imbalances, and implementing structural reforms to boost productivity and long-term growth.

A key session will focus on these issue areas:

  • Is Latin America’s Economic Tide Turning? — January 22 at 3:00 PM CET.
    This session will focus on how to address the economic challenges in the region. The session will feature Víctor Bisonó Haza, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Dominican Republic; Arancha González Laya, Dean of The Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA), Sciences Po; Alberto van Klaveren, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile; Demian Reidel, Chairman of the Council of Advisors to the President of Argentina at the Office of the President of Argentina; and Fernando Honorato Barbosa, Chief Economist at Banco Bradesco.

Effective governance in times of crisis

The current geopolitical context, defined by conflicts, forced migrations, and political polarization, presents critical challenges for Latin America. This session will focus on these issues:

  • Addressing Latin America's Faultlines — January 22 at 9:00 AM CET.
    In this session, Dina Boluarte, President of Perú; Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank; José Raúl Mulino, President of Panama; and journalist and philosopher Sergio Sarmiento will come together to discuss how governance is evolving in the region. The topics will include political polarization, growing security demands, and challenges related to migration flows. The session aims to explore how governments can ensure effective governance in this increasingly complex context, capable of responding to the expectations of their populations.

Latin America at the forefront of climate action

Last year was a pivotal year for climate and biodiversity negotiations, with decisive progress on funding mechanisms for loss and damage and an agreement on a "New Quantified Collective Goal" to support developing countries. In 2025, with COP30 in Belem, Brazil, Latin America will be at the center of the global debate on how to implement these agreements and accelerate inclusive climate action.

With its vast natural resources and a crucial role in the fight against climate change, the region will have a prominent presence at Davos.

There are several sessions that will focus on the issue of climate action:

  • Road to COP30 — January 21 at 9:30 AM CET.
    This session will explore the agenda for the upcoming climate summit and strategies to accelerate the speed and scale of global climate action.
  • Open Forum: Protecting People From a Changing Climate — January 21 at 12:30 PM CET.
    The session, which will feature Mexican Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Alicia Bárcena, will focus on the challenges faced by vulnerable populations displaced by climate change and how to develop sustainable strategies to mitigate its impacts.
  • Industrial Decarbonization as a Growth Strategy — January 21 at 4:15 PM CET.
    This session will focus on how industrial decarbonization, driven by technological innovations and public policies, can become an opportunity for achieving sustainable economic growth while generating positive environmental impacts. The session will also feature Alicia Bárcena.
  • How to Make Carbon Pricing Effective — January 21 at 5:30 PM CET.
    This session will explore how to ensure that the advancements made at COP29, with the operationalization of a global carbon credit market under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, drive a truly global and effective carbon pricing system. The session will feature Maisa Rojas Corradi, Minister of Environment at the Ministry of Environment of Chile.

You can follow the full agenda of the 2025 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum by checking the official website again.

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