The Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI), with the support of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), will host the II Conference of the Network of Policy Centers of the Americas (CEPAS) on May 25. The event will bring together representatives from eight leading think tanks across the region and Spain that are part of the network to discuss the impacts of global geopolitical transformations on Latin America.
The conference will examine Latin America's external relations amid the renewed prominence of hemispheric dynamics, shaped by growing geopolitical pressures, strategic rivalries, and new forms of influence and intervention. Discussions will explore the region's relations with Europe and China, as well as its engagement with Asian countries, particularly those in Southeast Asia (ASEAN), which are emerging as increasingly relevant partners for diversifying alliances and reducing vulnerabilities.
The program will feature the lecture "Latin America and the World in 2050", delivered by economist and professor Jeffrey Sachs, who will address global economic, demographic, and technological trends through 2050 and their implications for public policies, sustainable development strategies, and Latin America's international positioning challenges.
The event will also include two thematic panels: "The United States, China, and Europe: Strategic and Security Dilemmas for Latin America" and "Economic Integration, Productive Development, and Democracy."
As a result of the meeting, participants are expected to produce the CEPAS 2026 Document, which will systematize the main points of consensus reached and guide the network's work agenda for 2027.
The I CEPAS Network Conference, held in Santiago, Chile, in 2025, highlighted persistent structural challenges in Latin America, including low economic growth, productivity challenges, persistent inequality, deteriorating security, and the growing impacts of technological transformations and global geopolitical tensions.
Revisit the discussions.
Founded in late 2024, the Network of Policy Centers of the Americas (CEPAS) is an initiative aimed at strengthening collaboration among research and policy institutions across the region. Its mission is to foster dialogue, cooperation, and high-impact research among countries, strengthening institutional development and expanding regional capacities.
The network brings together eight leading institutions across the Americas:
