The second session of the Regional Conference on South-South Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean will be held in Santiago on Tuesday, 17 and Wednesday, 18 June 2025.

The meeting will be open to all member countries of ECLAC.

The purpose of this document is to provide delegations with useful information to facilitate their work at the meeting.

Participants must register online through the meeting website https://conferenciacss.cepal.org/2/en. Credentials will be available to collect at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago (Av. Dag Hammarskjöld 3477, Vitacura) on 17 June, between 8.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and on 18 June, between 8.30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The meeting coordinators will be available to answer any questions concerning logistical or organizational matters, before or during the event.

1. General information on Chile

Geographical location 

Chile is located in the extreme south-west of South America. Its capital city is Santiago, and the country has a total population of around 19.5 million. Chile lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains, and its long, narrow territory is divided into 16 administrative regions. 

The capital 

Santiago is the capital city of Chile and its Metropolitan Region is home to 7 million people. It has a Mediterranean climate and well-defined seasons, with rainy winters with temperatures as low as 0°C (from May to September) and dry summers, when top daytime temperatures are around 30°C (from November to March). Relative humidity is low, and evenings are cool. 

Although the tap water is safe to drink, it may not agree with those not accustomed to it. Visitors are therefore advised to drink bottled water. 

As in all large cities, it is recommended not to wear valuable jewellery and to remain alert regarding cell phones, wallets or bags, for security reasons. 

Useful information

LOCAL CURRENCY	The national currency is the Chilean peso ($). The exchange rate is approximately 942 pesos to the dollar (October 2024).
LOCAL TIME	UTC/GMT -3 hours (on the dates of the meeting).
ELECTRICITY	In Chile, the standard voltage is 220 volts. The frequency is 50 Hz. Plugs and sockets are type C or L.
AIRPORT CHARGES	The airport charge is included in the airfare.
TIPPING	Tipping is common in Chile, as it is in other parts of the world. In restaurants, it is customary to tip around 10% of the total bill.

2.  Meeting venue

The second session of the Regional Conference on South-South Cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean will take place in the Raúl Prebisch Conference Room, located at ECLAC headquarters, Av. Dag Hammarskjöld 3477, Vitacura, Santiago.

ECLAC has a limited number of parking spaces. Only official automobiles of diplomatic missions will be authorized to drop off and pick up members of their delegations. To do so, please send driver and vehicle details (model and licence plate number) to the following email addresses: carolina.jara@un.org and cencoseg@cepal.org.

3. Meeting coordination

The meeting is being organized by ECLAC. The contacts are:

• Enrique Oviedo (overall coordination)
  Political Affairs Officer
  Office of the Secretary of the Commission 
  ECLAC, United Nations 
  Tel: (+56) 2 2210 2275 
  Email: enrique.oviedo@cepal.org;  with a copy to secretariadelacomision@cepal.org.
• Margarita de Igarzábal (logistics) 
  Acting Supervisor  
  Conference Services Unit
  ECLAC, United Nations 
  Tel: (+56) 22210 2588 
  Email: margarita.deigarzabal@un.org  

4. Hotel reservations

The ECLAC Conference Services Unit has reserved a block of rooms at special rates at the following hotels:

• Hotel Pullman Santiago Vitacura (****)
  Av. Vitacura 3201, Vitacura. Tel: (+56) 2 2947 3612
  Single room: US$ 130 + tax (includes breakfast, Internet and gym use)
  Contact: Francisca Cid, Reservations Department
  Email: francisca.cid@accor.com
• Hotel Director Vitacura (****)
  Av. Vitacura 3600, Vitacura. Tel: (+56) 2 2389 1956
  Single room: US$ 116 + tax (includes breakfast and Internet)
  Contact: María Eliana Puga, Reservations Department 
  Email: reservas@director.cl
• Hotel Noi (*****)
  Av. Nueva Costanera 3736, Vitacura. Tel: (+56) 2 2432 6837
  Single room: US$ 140 + tax (includes breakfast, Internet, gym use and parking)
  Contact: Meena Vaswani, Senior Sales Account Manager
  Email: meena.vaswani@noihotels.com
• Hotel NH Collection Casacostanera (****)
  Av. Nueva Costanera 3900, Vitacura. Tel: (+56) 2 2496 2000
  Single room: US$ 140 + tax (includes breakfast and Internet)
  Contact: Noemí González, Groups and Events Executive
  Email: nj.gonzalez@h-hotels.com

Reservations must be made directly with the chosen hotel before the expiry date indicated on the hotel reservation form (see the last page of this document). After that date, the hotel reserves the right to change the rate and cannot guarantee that rooms will be available. 

These rates do not include the value added tax (VAT) of 19%. Visitors paying in dollars or with international credit cards are exempt from VAT. In that case, the hotel will request the slip issued by border control upon entry into Chile.

To maintain the special ECLAC rate, hotel reservations must be requested personally, not through agencies or other means. Delegates are responsible for making their own reservations. You are advised to check that the hotel has processed your reservation and to request a reservation number or confirmation code.  
The hotel requires your flight information and dates of arrival and departure from Chile, as well as credit card details, in order to secure the reservation. Please send the chosen hotel the attached hotel reservation form, with all the required details.

5. Visa and entry requirements for Chile

Participants must be in possession of a passport valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry into Chile. 

Representatives from countries whose citizens require a visa to enter Chile should apply for one in advance at their nearest Chilean embassy or consulate. 

To check whether a visa is needed, participants may contact the Chilean embassy or consulate in their countries. Contact details for the embassies and consulates can be found at https://www.minrel.gob.cl/embajadas-y-consulados.

6. Transport from the airport to Santiago

For transfers from the airport to the city, there are minibuses run by the companies Transvip and WeTransport, located at the airport, which can take 10–12 passengers and drop passengers off in different neighbourhoods, at a cost of roughly US$ 15 per person. 
Travellers who wish to use individual transport should use the official taxi firms (Taxi Turismo Oficial), which are located at the airport; fares to the city range from US$ 35 to US$ 40, depending on the destination. 
Modes of transportation in Santiago include microbus and taxi lines as well as six metro lines. Taxi fares are indicated on meters and drivers are generally not tipped.
For persons with permanently or temporarily reduced mobility, three private transport companies are suggested:

• Goxi
  http://www.goxi.cl/
  +56968347267
• Arpal Chile
  https://www.arpalchile.cl/
  +56 9 6650 1734
• Transfervan
  https://www.transfervan.cl/sitiotransfervan/
  +56966308660

7. Registration

Participants must register online through the event website: https://conferenciacss.cepal.org/2/en . Registration will be available from 7 May to 12 June 2025. 

After registration, the system will send an automatic confirmation of receipt. Once the registration request has been approved, a “confirmation of acceptance” email is sent, which must be presented along with an identification document when picking up credentials. 

Online registration of government representatives does not exempt delegations from the formal requirement to provide official notification indicating the names of the head of delegation and of all accompanying members.

Officials of United Nations system entities will be able to enter the meeting with their United Nations pass, which must be previously activated, but are still required to register online. To activate a pass, please send images of both sides of the credential to the following email: cencoseg@cepal.org.

Credentials may be collected at the main entrance of ECLAC (Av. Dag Hammarskjöld 3477, Vitacura), on 17 June, between 8.30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and on 18 June, between 8.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Credentials must be picked up in person, upon presentation of an identification document. For security reasons, participants will be required to wear their badges in order to attend meetings. Badges must remain visible during the meeting.

Participants are advised to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of meetings in order to complete the accreditation process and United Nations security protocols.

For further information on registration and accreditation of participants, please contact Luis Flores (luis.flores@un.org) or Carolina Jara (carolina.jara@un.org); telephone: (+56 2 2210 2330).

8. Opening session

La ceremonia de inauguración se realizará el martes 17 de junio de 2025 a las 9:00 horas en la sala Raúl Prebisch.

9. Internet

Participants will have access to a wireless Internet connection (Wi-Fi) in the conference room and in open areas. To use the connection, participants are required to register and enter a password.

10. Languages

The official language of the meeting will be Spanish. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided into English. 

11. Facilities and services at ECLAC

Bank	There is a branch of Banco de Chile in the basement of the main ECLAC building. It is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Foreign currency can be exchanged from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
Meals	ECLAC has a café and a canteen, which are open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Participants are responsible for paying for these services.
Medical services	The ECLAC Medical Service, on the ground floor of the main building (office number Z-210, ext. 2333) provides first aid. It is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.