Santiago - The economies of Latin American and Caribbean countries are forecast to grow a collective 1.9 per cent next year amid the global downturn, a commission on the region's economic affairs said Thursday.

This year, the national economies of the region with 500 million people are to gain 8 per cent, the group Cepal said in the Chilean capital.

Unemployment was predicted to increase from 7.5 per cent to 8.1 per cent and the organization called for governments to play a new role in protecting the 185 million people living in poverty in their countries. (dpa)