Jamaica is among countries from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) whose mayor is attending the 2026 Mayors Forum, one of the region’s leading platforms for discussing the future of cities and urban transformation initiatives to improve citizens’ quality of life.
The three day event, which began Wednesday, is being organised by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), through its IDB Cities Network and has brought together representatives from Kingston, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Guadalajara, San José, Cali, Panama City, Curitiba, Villavicencio Montevideo, among others.
The IDB said that the forum seeks to foster cooperation and peer learning among cities to help strengthen management capacity, attract investment, and implement solutions that deliver tangible results.
The manager of the IDB’s Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector,
Juan Pablo Bonilla, said, ‘at the IDB, we are committed to strengthening cooperation among local governments and expanding access to knowledge, financing, and innovation to support cities in their efforts to jointly address territorial development challenges.’
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán thanked the IDB for creating the space for exchange, ‘where cities can share experiences and build solutions that respond to urban challenges and improve the lives of millions of people across Latin America and the Caribbean.’
For the first time, the forum is being held in two host cities. Following the opening in Bogotá, participants will travel on Thursday to Barranquilla to continue exchanging experiences on topics related to fiscal sustainability, mobilization of financing, and investment to strengthen resilience and productivity.
‘Barranquilla welcomes you with open arms and with the conviction that the best solutions to the world’s challenges are born in local territories. Nearly 20 years of our governance model, working hand in hand with our people, have transformed the way our country and the world see us today,’ said Alejandro Char, mayor of Barranquilla. ‘Enjoy Barranquilla and feel the energy of a city that never stopped believing in itself,’ he added.
Through this initiative, the IDB said it will continue to strengthen a network of local leaders committed to sharing experiences and implementing solutions that improve lives across the region.