Preserving Social Cohesion in the COVID-19 Crisis: An Agenda for the EU-LAC Partnership

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Latin American and Caribbean countries have faced the challenge of countering the dramatic social effects of lockdowns and associated economic crises. Governments over the past half year have rushed to provide social assistance to vulnerable groups.

What can we learn from these measures so far? How can recently created or expanded social protection measures be made sustainable, and what additional measures are needed for an inclusive recovery? What could an agenda of cooperation for social cohesion between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean look like as we move towards year two of the pandemic? Join us for a dialogue between scholars and practitioners.

Programme

Welcome remarks:

• Miguel Berger, State Secretary, Federal Foreign Office, Germany

Address:

• Valerie Guarnieri, Assistant Executive Director, World Food Programme (Nobel Peace Prize 2020)

Policy recommendations:

• Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary ECLAC / CEPAL

• Merike Blofield, Director GIGA Institute for Latin American Studies, co-author of social protection study for ECLAC (Link)

• Fernando Filgueira, Professor of Social Sciences, Universidad de la República (Uruguay), co-author of social infrastructure study for ECLAC (Link)

Responses from policy-makers:

• Pilar Garrido, Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy of Costa Rica

• Claudia Warning, Director General, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Q&A from audience

Closing remarks:

• Paraskevi Michou, Director-General ECHO, EU Commission

Moderation:

• Adrián Bonilla, Executive Director EU-LAC Foundation