This Special Report is the first in a series by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) on the evolution and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean, and will update the economic and social analysis as the relevant information becomes available. The preparation of the Report will be headed by the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena, with the technical support of the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary, Mario Cimoli, and the substantive divisions responsible for the topics addressed, as well as the subregional headquarters and country offices of ECLAC.

Para medir el pleno impacto de la crisis y proporcionar la base para las acciones necesarias, los economistas del BID han seguido de cerca los efectos de COVID-19 en la región. El resultado es un informe que arroja luz sobre las implicaciones económicas para seis países del Caribe: Las Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Surinam y Trinidad y Tobago. De este análisis surgen dos desafíos principales que deberán enfrentar los países en esta coyuntura.

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world, the European Union and its Member States have observed cyber threats and malicious cyber activities targeting essential operators in Member States and their international partners, including in the healthcare sector. Since the beginning of the pandemic, significant phishing and malware distribution campaigns, scanning activities and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks have been detected, some affecting critical infrastructures that are essential to managing this crisis.

Based on criminal information from investigations in the Member States, Europol is assessing the impact of the pandemic across three phases; current, mid- and long-term phase. The report anticipates developments across the threat landscape that will have an operational impact on law enforcement authorities across Europe. Europol also identifies five key factors that influence organised crime during and after the pandemic.

Documento proporcionado por la Misión Permanente de Panamá ante la OEA, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de la República de Panamá, bajo el “Plan Protégete Panamá”, sobre las medidas adoptadas para abordar la pandemia COVID-19

Large-scale, national efforts to utilize technology in support of remote learning, distance education and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic are emerging and evolving quickly.

Regulations made by the Governor-General in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 18(9) of the Belize Constitution, Chapter 4 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, and all other powers thereunto him enabling.

UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan

La CAF apoya a la región mediante una serie de instrumentos financieros y técnicos que complementan las medidas aplicadas por los gobiernos. Entre ellos se destaca una línea de crédito regional de emergencia de USD 2.500 millones para reforzar las medidas económicas anticíclicas.

También puso a disposición inmediata recursos de cooperación técnica no reembolsables por hasta USD 400 mil por país; y una línea de crédito contingente hasta por USD 50 millones por país para atención directa de los sistemas de salud pública y la protección de los más vulnerables

Por otra parte, el personal de la CAF junto a expertos en sectores estratégicos como salud, educación, economía, transporte, protección social, tecnología y gobernabilidad, trabajan en el diseño de políticas públicas adaptables a la realidad de cada país, las cuales están disponibles en este espacio en diversos formatos.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic poses a host of global health, economic, and security challenges, to include the continued challenge of combating transnational organized crime. While some believe this pandemic will disrupt and have a negative impact on the global operations of transnational organized criminal groups, the morbid reality is that these groups view the crisis as a lucrative opportunity. For the foreseeable future, we can expect organized criminal groups to quickly adapt in order to exploit the pandemic via various illicit schemes. In Italy, mafia groups are already demonstrating that they are intent on benefiting from the crime-related opportunities that the COVID-19 pandemic will present.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing measures taken in response raise the prospect of a steep downturn for numerous economies. A key concern is to prevent this initial shock from turning into an even deeper and prolonged recession. This brief stresses that social dialogue has the capacity to help. For example by shaping compromises whereby employers maintain jobs, workers accept shorter working hours while governments provide compensation, social dialogue functions as a crisis “circuit breaker”. Social dialogue can do so because it has both the capacity to coordinate different actors and because it tends to build trust. The brief illustrates this by referring to several recent cases where social partners, in collaboration with government, have quickly stepped up to the challenge by expanding short time work systems. The Global Deal partnership is pleased to offer its initial contribution to the struggle to address the COVID-19 crisis in the form of this short brief and the best practice examples of social dialogue that it showcases.

Understanding where Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) are, how they operate, and where they pay taxes is crucial for sound policy making and sound macro-economic statistics. However, surprisingly little official statistics are currently available on individual MNEs. To fill this gap the OECD has begun to develop a new database – the Analytical Database on Individual Multinationals and Affiliates (ADIMA) – using a number of open big data sources that can provide new insights on individual MNEs and their global profiles. 

"It is urgent that the needs of women be part of the analyses, assessments and policies that are put in place in the face of the crisis, as a requirement for adequacy, effectiveness and sustainability, and to strengthen women's leadership in times of crisis. Because we cannot allow any backsliding in the rights achieved by women in all areas,” said the Executive Secretary of the CIM, Alejandra Mora Mora.

If we look at the reaction of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are two sides: Internally, the focus was on limiting the spread of the disease while mitigating its negative impact on the economy and ensuring that the national measures are in line with international obligations. Externally, Liechtenstein has demonstrated solidarity through contributions to the UN Global Humanitarian Response plan while also advocating international cooperation by initiating – together with five other States – a COVID-19 resolution that was passed by the UN General Assembly with the active support of 188 States.

The COVID-19 pandemic is putting the world under enormous strain, affecting the lives of everyone. The unprecedented measures adopted to flatten the infection curve include enforced quarantine, curfews and lockdowns, travel restrictions, and limitations on economic activities and public life. While at first sight, these enforcement measures and increased police presence at the borders and on the streets seem to dissuade crime, they may also drive it further underground. In trafficking in persons, criminals are adjusting their business models to the ‘new normal’ created by the pandemic, especially through the abuse of modern communications technologies. At the same time, COVID-19 impacts the capacity of state authorities and non-governmental organizations to provide essential services to the victims of this crime. Most importantly, the pandemic has exacerbated and brought to the forefront the systemic and deeply entrenched economic and societal inequalities that are among the root causes of human trafficking.

On 29^th April 2020, The Official Gazette published the emergency measures to take effect from the 4^th May 2020 and last until 3^rd June 2020 unless earlier terminated, extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Public Health.

El Gobierno del Paraguay puso a disposición de la ciudadanía la plataforma rindiendocuentas.gov.py. Se trata de una herramienta tecnológica de visualización de datos para que la población haga seguimiento del destino y uso de los recursos que el Gobierno paraguayo está destinando a la atención de la emergencia sanitaria desatada por la pandemia del COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that is already having devastating impacts on the world economy –both directly and through necessary measures to contain the spread of the disease. These impacts are also being felt by the food and agriculture sector. While the supply of food has held up well to date, in many countries, the measures put in place to contain the spread of the virus are starting to disrupt the supply of agro-food products to markets and consumers, both within and across borders. The sector is also experiencing a substantial shift in the composition and –for some commodities –the level of demand.

The COVID-19 outbreak and its containment measures including the lockdown of much of the world's population has put corporate balance sheets under tremendous pressure. As observed during the financial crisis 12 years ago, governments are finding it necessary to engage in multiple rescue operations involving companies deemed to be systemically important. Unlike the previous crisis where government interventions mostly concerned ailing banks, interventions relating to COVID-19 have so far mostly focused on insolvency and illiquidity in industry sectors hard hit by the virus, such as aviation and tourism. Other sectors seem bound to follow as the fallout from the crisis spills over into the second half of the year.

Co-ordinating  government policies will make crisis response more effective. A wide array of international regulatory co-operation approaches can be used to align government responses, including international evidence gathering and sharing to aid in the design of emergency rules, aligning regulations or using mutual recognition to expedite administrative processes and facilitate the trade of essential products, such as protective equipment, for example. International organisations provide essential platforms to promote such co-operation