Lots of technology and modernism, few real solutions: ECLAC's challenge

Latin America knows how to organize major gatherings. The hard part begins when the microphones are switched off and the task is to improve the lives of those who were never invited to the room where the region's future is debated.

The Dominican Republic took over the presidency of ECLAC for the 2026-2028 period, following sessions held in Santiago de los Caballeros between October 7 and 9. Topics debated there included connectivity, digital transformation, financing and the document "Managing transformations in an era of ruptures." It is a necessary agenda, but its real test will be turning conclusions into concrete results (as always).

Artificial intelligence can improve processes, support education and make companies more productive. But its benefits depend on who can access it. A small Latin American trader needs a stable connection, training and affordable tools, resources that are scarce in most countries of the region. It does little good to hear that "the future has arrived" if her business is still waiting for electricity or a decent internet signal.

The risk is building an exclusionary modernization: large companies capitalizing on technology while small businesses watch from the sidewalk. That would mean deepening the very inequalities that such modernization promises to reduce.

That is why a progressive agenda must combine innovation with public services, job training and support for small businesses. It must also protect personal data and allow workers to take part in decisions on introducing new technologies that will change their jobs.

The Dominican Republic has the opportunity to drive a practical discussion. Each commitment should have clear owners, a budget and a deadline. And each advance should be explainable through examples: faster procedures, more productive companies and students with better opportunities.

ECLAC needs its ideas to leave the documents and reach the neighborhoods. Success will come when the word transformation stops being an elegant headline and becomes an improvement that people can describe in their own homes.