To comply with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ECLAC urges closing structural gaps

To achieve the goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the structural gaps that perpetuate low growth and inequality in the region must be closed, said Hugo Beteta, director of the Subregional Headquarters in Mexico of the Economic Commission for Latin America. and the Caribbean, ECLAC.

When inaugurating the international seminar “Inequality gaps in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean”, Beteta indicated that ECLAC, together with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), proposed to create a regional agenda on a new rurality that contemplates two narratives: One on new rurality and another on structural gaps.

The changes in the definition of rurality in its demographic, technological, insertion in globalization, production and climate change risks aspects have not been sufficiently considered in the public policies of the countries that, for the most part, continue to see urbanization and industrialization as the only ways to achieve development; The ECLAC-FIDA project is committed to seeing the rural as an innovative development path for the territories.

A second narrative has to do with the idea that, upon reaching a GDP per capita of middle-income countries, nations must graduate from development assistance, without considering that 72% of the world’s poor live in low-income countries. Average Income.

“Even though per capita GDP growth grows, inequality will not disappear if the structural gaps that prevent compliance with the 2030 Agenda are not addressed,” Beteta said. “Prioritizing growth without addressing inequality will not allow us to achieve our goals.”

The Minister of National Planning and Economic Policy of Costa Rica, Laura Fernández, said that the government has designed public policies that guarantee opportunities for everyone, recognizing that to reduce inequality a more equitable distribution of resources is required with a perspective transversal gender and reducing gaps in territorial development.

We recognize, said Fernández, that the SDGs give us a solid framework and that achieving them implies the joint work of all national institutions, together with the contributions of organizations such as ECLAC, which is a “seedbed of wonderful knowledge that we have to take advantage of and to know their good practices.

Seidy Álvarez, President of the board of directors of the Board of Pensions and Retirements of the National Teachers (JUPEMA) of Costa Rica explained that the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated and exposed the reality faced by the most vulnerable populations and listed the challenges they face The country faces in education, the digital divide, the accelerated aging of its population, uneven territorial development, and the disadvantaged situation of women, the indigenous population, and the migrant population.

“This calls us to reflect and make it clear that the public policies that are established must take into account the diversity and complexity of the challenges, they must establish differentiated solutions to the reality and needs of each territory and its needs so that

we can really talk about an effective gap closure,” said Álvarez.

The international seminar “Inequality gaps in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean” will continue on Wednesday June 21 and will analyze these topics: Inequality gaps in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, Poverty and income inequality, Well-being and social protection gaps, Rural inequality gaps, Innovation and sustainability gaps, Investment and productivity gaps, and Data to measure inequality gaps .

Academics, researchers and public officials from the region participate in the event.