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OAS Participates in Sixth Americas Competitiveness Forum and “Pathways to Prosperity” Meeting, and Organizes Events for RIAC and Ministers of Economy, Finance, Industry and Commerce

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, will travel to Cali, Colombia to participate this October 24th to 26th in the Sixth Americas Competitiveness Forum and the Fifth Ministerial Meeting “Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas.”

Secretary General Insulza recently expressed his support for the Forum, considering it a meeting that “promotes dialogue on public policies, cooperation and the interchange of experiences and lessons learned between our member countries.” “Competitiveness is an important issue for all of the countries of the hemisphere, despite the different visions and models that exist in the region. It is an issue relevant not only at a national level, but also in the development of regions and provinces that have conditions, strengths and weaknesses all their own,” he added in the presentation of the event at OAS headquarters in September.

Within the framework of the Forum, the hemispheric organization will organize on Wednesday the Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Competitiveness Network (RIAC) and on Thursday the Meeting of Ministers of Economy, Finance, Industry and Commerce of the hemisphere. On Friday, October 26, there will be a panel discussion on the subject “Advances and Challenges in Physical Integration – Innovative Practices,” moderated by the Minister of Transportation of Colombia, Cecilia Álvarez Correa. The panel will include the Minister of Industry and Innovation of the Basque Country, Bernabé Unda; the Exectuve Director of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America, José Raúl Perales; and the Vice President of Industry at the Latin American Development Bank (CAF), Antonio Juan Sosa.

The Competitiveness Forum is an annual meeting in which the countries of the Western Hemisphere exchange experiences, trends, efforts and iniatiatives on issues of innovation with the aim of becoming more competitive. The central theme of the Sixth version of the Forum – “Innovation for Prosperity” – recognizes that this is a resource that should be within the reach of everyone to become more competitive and productive. At the meeting in Cali more than 1,500 participants will take part, between them Presidents, Ministers, Vice Ministers, leaders of international organizations, business leaders and academics, among others.

“The Americas Competitiveness Forum is the most important annual event in the region to examine interact and learn about the environment and the challenges that we face in increasing our levels of competitiveness,” said Colombia’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Sergio Diaz-Granados, during the presentation of the Forum in the Chamber of Commerce of Cali. For the representative of the Colombian government the event represents “an ideal moment” for the establishment and strengthening of alliances, the creation of new business opportunities and the creation of ties of fluid, efficient and sustainable ties of communication and collaboration between the public, private and academic sectors.

At the same meeting, the Executive Secretary for Integral Development of the OAS, Jorge Saggiante, said that, for the hemispheric organization, which acts as the technical secretariat for the Forum, the “promotion of greater levels of competitiveness and innovation is a priority,” and therefore “it is an honor to support Colombia in the organization of this great hemispheric event and in the projects that are being carried out this year in the framework of the Inter-American Competitiveness Network (RIAC).”

Secretary General Insulza will take part, on Wednesday, October 24, at 17:00 local time (22:00) GMT) at the Centro de Eventos Valle del Pacifico, in the opening ceremony of the Forum, together with the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos; the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena; and the Mayor of Cali, Rodrigo Guerrero. The agenda of the Forum is available here.

The same Wednesday, October 24, within the framework of the Forum, the OAS will organize a meeting of the RIAC, “2012 Meeting of Competitiveness Authorities and Councils,” a high level mechanism that seeks to promote dialogue, cooperation, the exchange of experiences and best practices and the adoption of joint initiatives in the Americas. The Executive Secretariat for Integral Development of the OAS acts as the technical secretariat for the Network, and Executive Secretary Saggiante will deliver the opening address for the event, together with Minister Díaz-Granados.

WHAT: Annual RIAC Meeting; Meeting of Ministers of Economy, Finance, Industry and Commerce of the hemisphere; and the Fifth Ministerial Meeting “Pathways to Prosperity in the Americas”

WHEN: Wednesday, October 24th to Friday, October 26th, 2012

WHERE: Cali, Colombia

Reference: AVI-221/12