The new document will be released at a press conference by the United Nations organization’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, on Thursday, July 6.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will present on Thursday, July 6 a new special report entitled Lithium extraction and industrialization: Opportunities and challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean, in which it examines the role of the region’s lithium-producing countries (mainly Argentina, Bolivia and Chile) in the global value chain of lithium-ion batteries (the main use of lithium currently), as well as the governance, regulatory and fiscal regimes that determine how the exploitation of that mineral functions in the “lithium triangle” countries.

The report will be presented at a hybrid press conference (in-person and virtual) led by José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, at the organization’s central headquarters in Santiago, Chile, at 11:00 a.m. local time (UTC/GMT -4:00).

The report includes public policy guidelines that can contribute to a productive development agenda centered on lithium, as well as to the industrialization of this mineral and others in clean technologies for the energy transition and electromobility. The details of these recommendations, along with the main indicators related to economic activity involving this mineral, will be unveiled by ECLAC’s Executive Secretary at the press conference.

Members of the media are invited to attend this press conference at ECLAC’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile (Av. Dag Hammarskjöld 3477, Vitacura, Santiago, Celso Furtado conference room). Journalists must have their media credentials or IDs with them to gain entry and must get accredited in advance by sending an email to prensa@cepal.org.

The press conference will also be transmitted live via Zoom at the following link:

https://cepal-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2ZKrsc06QCC15Wa-N_VIWg

In addition, it will be transmitted online for public viewing via the institution’s website, at https://live.cepal.org/litio and on its social media accounts on Twitter (@cepal_onu) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/cepal.onu).

Journalists participating virtually will be able to submit their questions ahead of time to the email address conferenciaprensa@cepal.org, and ECLAC’s Executive Secretary will respond to them during the press conference. Questions will only be taken until 11:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, July 6.

The full electronic version of this new special report by ECLAC, along with a press release and the presentation by Executive Secretary José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, will be made available on ECLAC’s website on Thursday, July 6, as soon as the press conference has concluded.

What: Launch of ECLAC’s special report Lithium extraction and industrialization: Opportunities and challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Who: José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary.

When: Thursday, July 6, 2023, 11:00 a.m. local time in Chile (GMT -04:00).

Where: ECLAC’s main headquarters in Santiago, Chile (Av. Dag Hammarsköld 3477, Vitacura, Celso Furtado conference room).

Virtual connection via the Zoom platform (prior registration required): https://cepal-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2ZKrsc06QCC15Wa-N_VIWg  

Also on ECLAC’s website and at https://live.cepal.org/litio.