Panama Canal: A Strategic Trade Route. The Panama Canal remains one of the world’s most critical trade routes, facilitating 5-6% of global trade and serving as a key link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, recent geopolitical tensions, climate challenges, and economic pressures are reshaping its role in global supply chains.

The 2025 edition of the Trade Trends Estimates for Latin America and the Caribbean provides an in-depth analysis of the region’s trade performance, highlighting export and import trends, key trading partners, sectoral shifts, and external risks shaping the trade landscape. Despite export growth of 4.1% in 2024, this recovery was driven more by volume than price gains.

Trade Trends in Latin America. The recent report by the IDB provides an analysis of trade performance in Latin America for 2024, highlighting key trends, sectoral shifts, and external factors shaping the region’s trade landscape. The value of exports grew by 4.1% in 2024, reversing a 1.6% decline in 2023.

China has significantly deepened its economic, political, and military ties with Latin America over the past two decades, becoming South America’s largest trading partner and a major investor in infrastructure, energy, and finance. While these growing relations present opportunities, they also raise concerns in Washington, particularly regarding China’s strategic influence, economic dependencies, and military partnerships in the region.

Public Finance & Capital Markets in Latam: Trends from 2024. Latin America continues to navigate economic recovery amid structural challenges, financing gaps, and evolving global conditions. While inflationary pressures are easing and investment initiatives are expanding, the region faces persistent barriers to productivity, fiscal.

Latin America is facing a convergence of climate and health crises, amplified by economic instability, unequal access to resources, and limited healthcare infrastructure. Climate change exacerbates food insecurity, increases the prevalence of climate-related diseases, and strains already overburdened healthcare systems. Social innovation is emerging as a critical strategy in addressing these interconnected challenges

Latin America's journey towards sustainability and economic growth increasingly involves green bonds, financial instruments designed to fund projects that benefit the environment. Despite the region's considerable natural resources and growing focus on sustainable development, its share in the global green bond market remains relatively small. However, this untapped potential presents significant opportunities for financial institutions and investors alike.

China’s Growing Influence in Latin America. China’s deepening economic, military, and political presence in Latin America is reshaping regional dynamics, presenting both opportunities and risks for governments navigating relations with Beijing and Washington.

Insights from Davos 2025 on Latin American EconomyAt the World Economic Forum event ‘Addressing Latin America's Faultlines,’ three distinguished speakers, including Ilan Goldfajn, President of the IDB, Dina Ercilia Boluarte, President of Peru, and José Raúl Mulino Quintero, President of Panama, shared their insights on key economic trends shaping Latin America in 2025.