Panama City emerged as the definitive hub for Latin American economic discourse on January 28-29, 2026, hosting an unprecedented gathering of regional leadership. The International Economic Forum – Latin America and the Caribbean 2026, orchestrated by CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean in collaboration with the Panamanian government, achieved historic participation metrics with over 6,500 delegates representing 70 nations.
The summit’s significance was underscored by the attendance of seven sitting heads of state, including Panama’s José Raúl Mulino, Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Bolivia’s Rodrigo Paz, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, Ecuador’s Daniel Noboa, Guatemala’s Bernardo Arévalo, alongside Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Chile’s President-Elect José Antonio Kast. This convergence of leadership represented the most substantial regional assembly in recent years.
CAF Executive President Sergio Díaz-Granados emphasized the forum’s transformative potential, stating, ‘This gathering represents the pinnacle of regional mobilization and alliance-building. Our deliberations will generate actionable insights to translate conceptual frameworks into tangible improvements for citizens across Latin America and the Caribbean.’ He further articulated CAF’s evolving role beyond traditional financing: ‘We are building bridges and creating dialogue platforms to amplify the region’s collective voice amidst global challenges.’
The comprehensive agenda featured 50 expert panels addressing critical development themes including regional integration strategies, artificial intelligence implementation, energy transition pathways, innovative financing mechanisms, and sustainable development practices. These discussions featured 250 distinguished panelists and attracted over 400,000 virtual participants through digital platforms.
Notable intellectual contributions came from Nobel Economics laureates James Robinson and Philippe Aghion, who analyzed institutional frameworks for growth innovation, while futurist Michio Kaku provided visionary perspectives on AI’s economic implications.
The forum transcended theoretical discourse through concrete diplomatic engagement, facilitating more than 400 bilateral meetings between governmental representatives, business leaders, and multilateral organizations. CAF’s proprietary networking technology enabled an additional 1,100 scheduled meetings, creating unprecedented opportunities for investment and cooperation.
This monumental event, supported by organizations including the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, COX, Copa Airlines and Coca-Cola, demonstrated Latin America’s determined pursuit of coordinated action and enhanced global positioning within the evolving international economic architecture.