Transport as a Driver of Development for Resilience and Competitiveness

Transport is a cornerstone of economic and social development. In Latin America and the Caribbean, resilient and efficient transport systems are essential to strengthen competitiveness, connect markets, and ensure equal access to opportunities. Yet, the region faces growing pressures: demand for passenger and freight transport is expected to nearly double by 2050, while infrastructure gaps, extreme weather events, and financial constraints persist.

To address these challenges, 25 delegations gathered in Santo Domingo for the Regional Transport Dialogue, jointly organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Transport Forum (ITF). President Luis Abinader set the tone from the outset with a powerful reminder: “Transport is not a technical issue; it is a political decision with a great human impact.” His message underscored the importance of long-term policy choices to build transport systems that improve people’s lives. It is not just about infrastructure, it is about connecting people, economies, and opportunities.

The meeting showed that resilience, innovation, and regional collaboration are essential to ensure modern, efficient, and sustainable transportation systems. With the support of the IDB and the ITF, countries in the region can implement evidence-based policies, technological solutions, and financial strategies that strengthen competitiveness and improve the quality of life for millions of people.

Ministers and authorities emphasized that population growth from 663 million to more than 730 million by 2050 will put additional pressure on transport systems. Meeting this demand will require smarter investments, innovative policies, and coordinated regional action.

Six priorities dominated the conversation:

1. Financing and funding of public transport systems
2. Future energy solutions for the transport sector
3. New technologies and the institutions of the future: autonomous vehicles, AI, and digitalization.
4. The new agenda for resilience and risk management
5. Enabling global supply chains
6. Saving more lives on the roads

Some of the key takeaways include:  

• Public transport systems in Latin America and the Caribbean face a growing financial gap due to their reliance on fares and subsidies, declining demand, and rising operating costs. The report “Financing and Funding Public Transport in Latin America and the Caribbean”, launched during the Dialogue, proposes three key lines of action to advance financial sustainability: improving operational efficiency through better planning and service integration; better targeting subsidies to benefit those who need them most; and diversifying funding sources through instruments such as value capture, congestion and parking charges. These measures aim to make public transport systems more efficient, equitable, and resilient, strengthening their role as the backbone of urban mobility. Read the full report here.
• Energy solutions are being developed for the transport sector. It is essential to continue assessing the technical and economic feasibility of each alternative across the different transport subsectors to achieve a more modern and efficient transport system. Strengthening multisectoral coordination among the energy and transport sectors, as well as between public institutions, the private sector, and development partners, also remains crucial.
• Governments also stressed the importance of digitalization, which offers significant opportunities to leapfrog toward more modern and efficient transport systems, but recognized many challenges in enabling an institutional and regulatory framework at the national and subnational levels.
• Resilience was featured across the agenda, as vulnerabilities of current transport systems were made evident: from geopolitical tensions, security concerns that affected supply chains, cyberattacks, and massive disruptions caused by extreme weather events, amongst others. Constant disruptions may outpace governments' ability to respond through conventional policy cycles and approaches. Therefore, countries called for proactive policies and strategies to effectively mitigate the risks that could undermine the achievement of transport sector objectives.
• Infrastructure is a key element for the region’s competitive integration into global supply chains. The reconfiguration of global supply chains driven by geopolitical shifts presents an opportunity for the region. To seize it, participants emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration and institutional strengthening.
• Road safety is recognized as a priority and is at the center of public policy. Countries are struggling to lower the number of road fatalities and serious injuries, and call for a new toolkit that serves the purpose of lowering these numbers in the short term.  

“This dialogue must not only be an exchange of ideas, but a regional pact of action.”

These were the words of President Abinader, highlighting that the opportunity to have all the high-level authorities in Santo Domingo could not end there.

Beyond exchanging ideas, this high-level dialogue represents a regional commitment to continuous collaboration. Countries recognized the importance of structured exchanges and evidence-based policymaking, with support from partners such as the IDB and ITF. That is why countries recognized the value of a structured dialogue to promote best practices, policy innovation, and improve access to high-quality data and evidence-based decision-making for governments.

During the event, the IDB and ITF launched the Regional Transport Network, a first-of-its-kind permanent platform connecting key stakeholders across the transport sector. The network will host one annual high-level policy dialogue and promote year-round strategic exchange among policymakers, experts, and academia.

Participants from countries such as Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Spain, as well as organizations like the OECD and FIA Foundation, welcomed the initiative and underscored its value in promoting innovation, best practices, and high-quality data for informed decision-making.

The event also featured the launch of the Transport Policy Lab, a partnership with eight universities across the region. Building on a successful two-year pilot, this initiative will strengthen research, innovation, and capacity-building, complementing the work of the Regional Transport Network. 
 

“Let me underline the importance of this moment: it is the first time that this dialogue has been held under the joint coordination of the IDB and the ITF, two institutions of global reference, and which today unite their knowledge, experience, and long-term vision. (…)” Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic

This new network reflects the shared commitment of the Interamerican Development Bank and the International Transport Forum to avoid duplication, to foster synergies, and to deliver increasing value to IDB’s and ITF’s members, with the ultimate goal to improve people’s lives. 

The Regional Transport Network marks more than a new initiative, it represents a regional promise to keep learning, innovating, and connecting. Because when transport moves forward, so do our communities.