voices and details of the OECD Local Development Forum 2025

In addition, the event, which is led by the OECD Center for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities and the mayor’s office of Barranquilla, will feature more than 90 national and international experts who will discuss the challenges and opportunities of territorial development.

Specifically, the panels will address the opportunities offered by growing sectors, such as green energy and the care economy, as well as ways in which territories can boost their global visibility by organizing major events and marketing strategies.

As the first forum to be held in Latin America, participants will also have the opportunity to explore first-hand the unique challenges and opportunities of the region, such as high rates of informality in the labor market and persistent social inequalities.

The choice of Barranquilla reflects a sustained institutional strategy to position Colombia as a destination for major events and the Atlantic capital as the epicenter of the meetings industry. Specifically, its designation recognized the city’s governance model, urban transformation, and capacity to host high-level international meetings.

“We are proud to show the world who we are: a city committed to the growth of its people, the transformation of its spaces, and inclusion as a driver of development,” said the city’s mayor, Alejandro Char.

For Carmen Caballero, president of Procolombia, the choice of Barranquilla demonstrates the impact of a sustained international positioning strategy. “These types of events not only generate visibility, but also real investment opportunities, productive linkages, and strengthening of the local business fabric,” she said.

The OECD is an international organization that works to promote sustainable economic growth, social inclusion, and local development. It currently has 38 member countries representing 68 percent of global GDP.

Colombia became the 37th member country in April 2020 and is one of four Latin American members, along with Mexico, Chile, and Costa Rica, representing 10.5 percent of the organization. Although its decisions are made in multilateral forums, the issues it addresses are deeply connected to what is happening on the ground.

Competitiveness and mayors, on the first day of the Development Forum

The Local Development Forum will begin today in Barranquilla with nine parallel sessions organized by OECD partners such as ECLAC, CAF, the United Nations, and the OAS. From 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the organizations will lead spaces for dialogue and reflection on economic development, sustainability, inclusion, and the social economy.

For example, one of the sessions on competitiveness will feature Lamia Kamal Chaoui, director of the OECD Center for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities; Eduardo Verano de la Rosa, governor of the Department (State) of Atlántico; and Vicky Osorio, executive director of ProBarranquilla.

Similarly, there will be a discussion entitled “Biodiverciudades” (Biodiversity Cities), which will address how different cities in Latin America and the Caribbean can promote resilient, inclusive, and biodiversity-centered urban development models. This discussion will be attended by several mayors, including Alejandro Char of Barranquilla, Carlos Fernando Galán of Bogotá, and Alejandro Éder of Cali.