Colombia, the fourth largest economy in Latin America, is back on track after decades of conflict. The country is looking to open up opportunities by addressing structural challenges, further benefiting from trade and investment, and increasing productivity. Colombia's march towards prosperity ...

Half a century after independence, Bangladesh has achieved impressive progress. The country has transformed from one of the poorest nations into a global textile manufacturing hub capable of meeting its medical needs almost entirely through domestic pharmaceutical production.

The Dominican Republic, though the fastest-growing economy in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2010, cannot afford complacency. The COVID-19 crisis may accelerate existing global trends that created the need for reforms addressing structural weaknesses that lurked beneath the surface well before the pandemic. The Production Transformation Policy Review (PTPR) of the Dominican Republic identifies priority reforms to update the national strategy, with perspectives on agro-food and nearshoring.

El Salvador has made significant development progress in the past 30 years. The end of the civil war in 1992 marked the establishment of a liberal democracy and an open export-led development model, which led to a reduction in poverty and inequality. However, with economic growth averaging a modest 2.4% in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, and productivity growth of 0.1% over the past decade, the post-war model has not generated the economic momentum or the jobs that the country needs.

What challenges and opportunities does the green transition entail for Latin America and the Caribbean? This 15th edition of the Latin American Economic Outlook explores options for the region to recast its production models, transform its energy matrix and create better jobs in the process.

After a robust recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, Colombia's economic growth is returning to a low potential. Medium-term growth prospects depend on maintaining Colombia's strong macroeconomic framework and enacting reforms to create a business-friendly environment which can attract high levels of investment. Implementing fiscal consolidation and adhering to fiscal rules would prevent rising financing costs and safeguard debt sustainability. Reforms to raise tax revenues and improve spending efficiency are needed to create fiscal space for social and productive investment needs. Enhancing the investment climate requires reducing regulatory uncertainties and tackling corruption. Creating connected transport infrastructure, strengthening subnational government capacities and improving equalisation mechanisms in the fiscal transfer system would foster balanced development across the country. Addressing informality, gender gaps, and improving education quality would boost productivity and reduce social disparities. Investing in climate adaptation, renewable energy, and establishing stable regulatory frameworks are key for a climate-resilient economy and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. SPECIAL FEATURES: RAISING PRODUCTIVITY; REDUCING LABOUR INFORMALITY; REGIONAL CONVERGENCE

The knowledge economy is the added non-monetary value that society accrues from increased access to data, information, and knowledge in the new, globally connected world. ICT and technology innovation are paving the way for significant economic development opportunities for countries that have embarked in a concerted effort to model their economies according to the knowledge economy principles. Among developing countries, knowledge economy principles are being applied mostly in a sector-wise level, where government intervention with enabling policies coupled with joint efforts by the private sector, academia, and other actors are resulting in durable and sustainable benefits. Cases on Applying Knowledge Economy Principles for Economic Growth in Developing Nations examines cases from developing countries in order to derive an adapted model of knowledge economy that could be applied to developing country conditions. This book contributes to the change of paradigm on how to help developing countries in advancing to better conditions by using ICT-related technology. Covering topics such as learning organizations, green technology, and sustainable organizations, this is a dynamic resource for emerging economies, researchers, students, professors, academicians, and multilateral organizations helping developing countries.