01/12/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/12/2021 11:51 Leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean Envision Development in the Region Beyond COVID-19 Response and Recovery January 12, 2021, New York City, USA - Today is the start of the 12th Ministerial Forum for Development in Latin America and the Caribbean- a three day virtual meeting where global and regional sustainable development experts and top government officials come together to discuss the way forward for development in the region beyond OVID-19 response and recovery. The 2020 Ministerial Forum, 'Beyond Recovery. Towards a new social contract for LAC' will focus on three critical areas for development moving forward: strengthened social protection and fiscal systems; inclusive digital transformation; and effective governance. The event is co-organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Colombia. The Forum also includes the Fourth Meeting of the Presiding Officers of the Regional Conference on Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), chaired by the government of Mexico.