Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union are preparing to take their relations to another level. To begin to understand the roadmap of both regions a little better, CAF-development bank of Latin America and the Caribbean organizes a meeting at Casa América (Madrid, Spain) with leading experts and opinion leaders. At this event, almost forty top-level speakers reflect on the state of the transatlantic relationship and address future opportunities and challenges. The in-person capacity is already covered, but the event can be followed live on the different covers of EL PAÍS América.
In the words of Sergio Díaz-Granados, president of the multilateral bank, this meeting is an opportunity “to reflect on the global financial architecture.” “Many of the global problems are going to require the Latin American region. Both food and carbon sequestration or energy solutions. You cannot make these big changes in the world without thinking about Latin America,” he expressed to América Futura during the presentation of the organization’s Economy and Development Report.
The event, which begins at nine in the morning, Spanish peninsula time; two in the morning in Colombia; one in the morning in Mexico, three in the morning in Washington and four in the morning in Buenos Aires, begins with an installation by Díaz-Granados; Alex Contreras Miranda, Minister of Economy and Finance, Peru and President of the Board of Directors of CAF, and Nadia Calviño, First Vice President and Minister of Economy and Digital Transformation of Spain. “The objective is to mobilize the development finance world towards understanding Latin America as a region of solutions,” added Díaz-Granados.
This annual summit, also organized with the support of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformationthe Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE) y House of America, takes place within the framework of the first informal meeting of the 60 ministers of Economy and Finance of both regions. During a meeting held in July in Brussels, the European Commission (EC) announced that the so-called “Team Europe” will mobilize 45 billion euros until 2027 to contribute to reducing poverty and inequality in the region and achieving more inclusive growth. and sustainable under the Global Gateway initiative, the EU’s global cooperation and investment platform in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Europe is the largest investor in Latin America, with almost 800,000 million euros of investment. 113 projects have already been identified in which to invest between now and 2027. There are energy projects, transportation projects, the issuance of green bonds or generating green hydrogen… Our role is to land them so that, when the next summit comes, in 2025 , we can review the progress,” added Díaz-Granados.
The first starting points will be given at this event, around four large conversations as a starter for the following days. Initially, in the EU-LAC Roadmap on collaboration for climate and sustainability, Teresa Ribera, third vice president and minister of Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain, will intervene; Mauricio Cárdenas, professor in Global Leadership at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and former Minister of Finance of Colombia; and Lara de Mesa, Group Vice President and Global Director of Responsible Banking at Banco Santander. Ribera, Cárdenas and De Mesa will talk with Azucena Arbeleche, Minister of Economy and Finance of Uruguay; Ricardo Bonilla, Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia; Óscar Herrera, governor of the province of Misiones, Argentina, and Enrique Riquelme Vives, CEO of the Cox Group.
In the second panel, A new digital alliance for the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean, moderated by José Ignacio Torreblanca, from the European Council on Foreign Relations, six experts will address the challenges in terms of technology and digitalization: Gustavo Beliz, former Secretary of Strategic Affairs of the Nation of Argentina; Angel Melguizo, partner at ARGIA, Green, Tech & Economics Consulting; Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence of Spain; Max Trejo, secretary general of the International Youth Organization (OIJ); Trinidad Jiménez García-Herrera, director of Global Public Affairs Strategy at Telefónica and Philippe Orliange, executive director for countries at the French Development Agency, AFD.
Later, around 11:20, peninsular time, a debate will take place on the Challenges of social policy in Latin America and the Caribbean. A deeper look at the challenges faced by the countries of the continent and the mechanisms to transform them. Erika Rodríguez Pinzón, professor at the Complutense University of Madrid and special advisor to the High Representative of the European Union, will moderate the presentation between Santiago Levy, non-resident senior researcher in World Economy and Development, at the Brookings Institution; José Manuel Vicente, Minister of Finance, of the Dominican Republic; Michelle Muschett, Undersecretary General, Deputy Administrator and Director of the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP; Julissa Reynoso, United States ambassador to Spain and Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, vice president for the Latin American and Caribbean region, World Bank.
Finally, the fourth panel will take place, focused on Investment Opportunities in the Caribbean, a vital region that is receiving the greatest blows from climate change, inequality and lack of investment. Stacy Richards-Kennedy, regional manager for the Caribbean of CAF, will moderate an important talk with Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technologies, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Ryan Straughn, Minister of Economy and Finance of Barbados; Karen-Mae Hill, High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda in the United Kingdom and Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, Director of the Development Centre, OECD.
There will also be two talks about sustainable coffee production, led by Juan Esteban Orduz, president of the National Federation of Coffee Growers, New York, and president of the World Forum of Coffee Producers, together with Alicia Montalvo, manager of Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity of CAF. “59% of the world’s coffee is produced in the region and, in addition, comes from small farmers. This is a product that is very sensitive to climate change and does not usually pay well for communities,” explains Montalvo, whose organization has invested $800,000 in technical assistance to producers and farmers to improve productivity, work on governance and the prosperity of those who cultivate it. Finally, Pepa Bueno, director of EL PAÍS, will interview Carlos Vives, Colombian singer-songwriter. The event will be closed by Antonio Garamendi, CEOE president and Christian Asinelli, Corporate Vice President of Strategic Programming of CAF.
2023-09-13 06:54:34
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