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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
The
Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the
Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) today held a
joint session, in the presence of the Colombian Vice Minister of Social
Development, Carlos de Hart, to address preparations for the Sixth
Americas Competitiveness Forum and the Meeting of the Inter-American
Competitiveness Network, under the slogan "Innovation for Prosperity,"
in Cali, Colombia from October 24 to 26.
"Competitiveness is an important issue for all countries in the
hemisphere, despite the different perspectives and models that exist in
the region," said the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza,
upon receiving the high authority of the government of President Juan
Manuel Santos, and added that it is an issue that is "relevant not only
at the national level, but also for the development of regions and
provinces that have their own particular conditions, strengths and
weaknesses."
He added that "a competitiveness agenda is an opportunity to
identify and implement actions that can make our cities, provinces and
countries more productive and competitive," and called on the countries
of the region to "work together to multiply our complementarities, build
greater synergies and ease public-private partnership."
Insulza said, for the OAS General Secretariat, Inter-American
Forums like the Competitiveness Forum of the Americas, that "promote
dialogue on public policy, cooperation and exchange of experiences and
lessons learned between our countries members,” are a priority.
The chief representative of the OAS noted that, "despite the
fragility of the economic recovery around the world, Latin America and
the Caribbean continue with a process of significant growth, which is
expected to continue at a good pace in 2012 and 2013, with an average
growth rate from 3.5 to 4.2 percent." But he cautioned that "we still
have much to do" and recalled that in the recent 2012-2013 edition of
the Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum (WEF), the
countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are located on average in
position 83 out of 144 countries, and nearly 10 points below that
average, "when we consider innovation."
In his speech, Deputy Minister Hart said the Forum "is a unique
event," that aims to "facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge, to
make countries more innovative, productive and competitive." He
highlighted that more than a thousand regional leaders, among whom are
ministers, businessmen and academics, will meet in Cali, where top-level
speakers will participate, along with the main leaders of the OAS, the
Development Bank for Latin America (CAF), the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the
Caribbean (ECLAC), among other institutions.
The Deputy Minister in the government of President Juan Manuel
Santos said that so far, "26 of the 34" Member States have confirmed
their participation, and presented a three minute video, in which
President Santos and the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism,
Sergio Díaz-Granados, invited all the entrepreneurs, citizens and
government officials of the Americas to participate in the Sixth
Americas Competitiveness Forum. In the video, which shows the
preparations in Cali for the event, it is noted that Cali is Colombia's
third largest city and the "worldwide capital of salsa.”
The Ambassador of Colombia to the OAS, Andrés González,
emphasized that "despite the crisis, our economies resist, but we face
the challenge of sustainable growth," and noted that, in this context,
one of the challenges in the region is to ensure "that our economies and
countries become more competitive." "Along the way,” he said, “there
are several strategies to evaluate and deliberate,” and from that
perspective, the meeting in Cali takes on even greater importance.
The Colombian diplomat added that "many of these answers will be
discussed in the Sixth Competitiveness Forum of the Americas and the
Meeting of the Inter-American Competitiveness Network, where we hope to
create a meeting place" to "share visions, experiences, innovative ideas
and best practices on key issues for competitiveness."
For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.
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