Emerging markets and developing economies entered 2025 with public debt levels that, on the surface, appear more stable than during the pandemic years. Fiscal deficits have narrowed, and debt-to-GDP ratios have stopped climbing. Yet beneath this apparent stabilization lies a more complex story of financing pressures, costly debt servicing, and declining net capital inflows.

In recent years, Brazil has emerged as a key player in shaping global policy through its leadership roles in major international forums. From hosting the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 2024 to convening the COP30 climate conference in Belém and the BRICS Summit in 2025, Brazil is using its platform to push for a more inclusive, sustainable, and multipolar world order.

The Global Findex Database 2025: Connectivity and Financial Inclusion in the Digital Economy is the world’s most comprehensive source of data on how people access and use financial services in the digital era. Based on surveys of 145,000 adults across 141 economies, it captures the intersection of mobile connectivity, financial account ownership, digital payments, savings, borrowing, and financial health.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) plays a pivotal role in Latin America by providing financial and technical support to its 26 borrowing member countries. The 2024 Annual Business Review reveals several key insights into how the IDB functions and its impact in the region. Here's a structured analysis of what the IDB means to Latin America, based on the report:

Latin America's space economy is experiencing significant growth, driven by increased investment in satellite systems, telecommunications, and international collaborations. Several recent reports and industry roundups provide insights into the current state and future prospects of the region's space sector. In accordance, the sector is expected to see double-digit annual growth rates through 2030, making it an increasingly important player in the global space industry.

HDI Trends in Latin America. Latin America is facing a development slowdown. Despite decades of progress, the region’s Human Development Index (HDI) has stalled since the mid-2010s, and still hasn’t recovered from the shock of the pandemic.

Productivity is at the center of long-term development. It drives higher wages, better jobs, and greater competitiveness. Yet for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), productivity has become a persistent weakness, preventing the region from closing the income gap with advanced economies.The World Bank’s Competition and Productivity Growth

Three Barriers Blocking Market Entry in Latin America. The World Bank’s Competition and Productivity Growth report explains the core challenge in Latin America: market entry is blocked by multiple layers of regulation, both for local entrepreneurs and foreign investors.

Latin America’s Fiscal Frontier. The 2025 edition of Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean reveals a continued rebound in public revenues across the region following the COVID-19 shock. However, despite broad improvements, the region’s tax-to-GDP ratios remain far below OECD levels, and wide disparities between countries point to persistent structural weaknesses.