OLACDE participated in the 2026 International Economic Forum of Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Panama, an event that brought together more than 4,000 global experts and featured the participation of Heads of State and Government, ministers, business leaders, representatives of international organizations, and academic leaders. The forum gathered more than 6,000 registered participants from 70 countries to discuss the main challenges and opportunities for regional development.
Within this context, OLACDE’s Executive Secretary, Andrés Rebolledo Smitmans, took part in the panel “Clean Energy and Energy Transition,” where he highlighted that Latin America and the Caribbean is currently the greenest region in the world, with a renewable energy matrix that reached 69% in 2025 and is projected to reach 78% by 2050.
During his remarks, Rebolledo emphasized that the region is advancing through diverse energy transitions, characterized by different paces, technologies, and regulatory requirements. He also underscored the challenges associated with the increasing penetration of variable renewable energy sources, the growing need for energy storage, and the modernization and sophistication of power systems.
He further highlighted the strategic role of regional energy integration, based on complementarities among countries and opportunities for joint planning, as a key factor in enhancing competitiveness and strengthening energy security.
“Latin America and the Caribbean is currently the greenest region in the world. Our challenge is to transform this leadership into integration, investment, and flexible regulations that enable diverse and socially legitimate energy transitions,” stated OLACDE’s Executive Secretary.
In the framework of the 2026 International Economic Forum of Latin America and the Caribbean, Andrés Rebolledo Smitmans also carried out an extensive agenda of bilateral meetings aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient energy transitions.
During the meeting with Panama’s Vice Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Cooperation, Carlos Guevara Mann, views were exchanged on the country’s progress in energy transition, regional integration, and multilateral cooperation, highlighting Panama’s strategic role as a regional hub and platform for energy integration initiatives.
Likewise, in the meeting with Dalila Gonçalves, Regional Director of UNOPS for Latin America and the Caribbean, opportunities were analyzed to expand technical cooperation in the design and implementation of energy projects aligned with international standards. The dialogue placed special emphasis on the development of resilient infrastructure, efficient resource management, and the strengthening of institutional capacities as key elements to accelerate the energy transition in the region.
In discussions with Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Muhammad Ibrahim, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the close link between energy, food security, and rural development was highlighted. In this context, synergies were identified to promote sustainable energy solutions in agricultural territories, fostering productivity, inclusion, and resilience in rural communities.
Finally, OLACDE’s Executive Secretary held a meeting with the President of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), Congressman Rolando González Patricio, with the aim of advancing toward a strategic alliance to promote a shared agenda in support of just energy transitions, with a social, territorial, and long-term approach for Latin America and the Caribbean.
