TACKLING THE GLOBAL COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS

The importance of driving forward 

development during emergencies

Ms. Azucena Arbeleche is the Minister of Economy and Finance of Uruguay (since 1st March 2020). Chairwoman of the Development Committee of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (since November 2021). Previously, Ms Arbeleche was Director of the Sovereign Debt Management division in the Ministry of Finance in Uruguay, and worked as advisor to the Ministers of Finance on debt-related and financial issues. She consulted on debt management strategies, advising governments and international institutions. Between 2014 and 2020, she was the lead economic advisor to the current President of the Republic of Uruguay. Ms. Arbeleche has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of the Republic in Uruguay, and holds a Master in Applied Macroeconomics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. She has been a Professor in Universidad de Montevideo and has taught at different Universities in Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay.

Hon. Betty C. Maina, EGH has over 28 years’ experience in the public and private sector. She has served as Principal Secretary in various ministries and held CEO positions in private sector organizations within Kenya. Hon. Maina holds a Master of Science Degree in Development Administration and Planning from the University College of London and an Undergraduate degree in Land Economics at the University of Nairobi

Isabel Saint Malo is the Former Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama (2014 - 2019). With over 30 years of experience in consulting, development, and implementation of public policies in Latin America, she was the first woman to be elected to the Vice Presidency in Panama as well as the first woman appointed as Foreign Minister in the history of her country. Currently advises leading multilateral organizations and participates in non-profit and private sector boards.

Mr. Marcel Spatari is the Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova. Between 2010-2021, he had been an expert and the general manager of Syndex Romania, a member of the French group Syndex, one of the largest consulting companies in the field of employee protection. He offered consultancy services on socio-economic issues, labor law and industrial relations for companies and employee representatives from the Republic of Moldova, Romania and other European Union countries. Marcel Spatari is the author of a series of articles and studies related to the rights of employees, social dialogue, labor market, minimum wage, cost of a decent life and impact of COVID-19 on employees and the labor market. In 2003 he graduated from the State University of Moldova, Faculty of International Relations - Political and Administrative Sciences and has master's degrees in European Studies (College of Europe) and Business Administration (Ecole de Management IFAG and University of Nantes).