Video meeting LATCAM – Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Peru (Nov. 23, 2021)
LATCAM very much appreciates having had the opportunity to offer its Board members once again a platform for a productive exchange, this time with their counterparts from the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Peru (CCSP), thus bridging the difficulties of having in-person encounters in times of COVID. The Zoom meeting was introduced by the Presidents of both Chambers and a welcome address from H.E. Paul Garnier, Ambassador of Switzerland to Peru, who shared with the participants his first impressions of the situation after the recent beginning of his tenure.
Our discussion was preceded by a brief analysis of the current political and economic outlook and evolved around questions on business perspectives and opportunities for Swiss companies to invest in or export to Peru. The business opportunity projects are part of the stabilisation measures introduced by the Swiss government to support Swiss business amid the COVID crisis.
Participants on the Swiss side included LATCAM Board members Ramon Esteve (ECOM Agroindustrial, LATCAM President), Manfred Ebling (Zurich Insurance, LATCAM Treasurer), Laurent Freixe (Nestlé), Markus Pölzl (Bühler Group), Arturo Stöcklin (Vontobel), Angelo Colombo (Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, Brazil), Jorge Fertis (Credit Suisse), our Advisors to the Board Thomas Först (S-GE) and Philippe Nell (Honorary Ambassador of LATCAM) as well as Tatjana Gaspar (Managing Director).
Participants on the Peruvian side included H.E. Swiss Ambassador Paul Garnier, Stefano Vescovi (Deputy Head of Mission, Swiss Embassy in Lima), CCSP Board members Felipe Antonio Custer Hallett (Corporación Custer S.A., President of CCSP), Eduardo Benavides Torres (Beninzón y Benavides Abogados, Secretary of CCSP), Javier León Valle (Nestlé Peru), Antun Ucovich Helbling (Sindicato Energético), Galo Acosta (ABB S.A.), Carlos Max Cornejo Heinrich (CV Project S.A.C.), Fulvio Giorgio Besseghini (Lombardi S.A.), Gonzalo Carlos Alberto de Cossío de Asín (Orometals), Paulo Pantigoso Velloso da Silveira (Ernst & Young), Jan Mulder (Química Suiza Industrial) as well as Corinne Schirmer (Managing Director of CCSP).
Federal Council sets future direction for foreign economic policy (Nov. 24, 2021)
Switzerland’s new foreign economic policy strategy was adopted by the Federal Council on 24 November. The world has changed profoundly since the turn of the millennium, and the Federal Council has revised its foreign economic policy in response to the economic, environmental, socio-political and geopolitical developments. The new strategy sets the course for the federal government’s foreign economic policy in the medium to long term.
To have a look at the Flyer (2 large slides), please click on this LINK
To read the Report, please click on this LINK
Fighting bid rigging in the health sector in Peru (OECD)
To read the Report, please click on the following LINK
LATCAM welcomes the new Ambassador of Costa Rica in Switzerland
Ramon Esteve, Dr. Philippe G. Nell and Tatjana Gaspar spoke in a video call with H.E. Ambassador Carlos Alonso Villalobos and Minister Alexander Peñaranda from the Embassy of Costa Rica.
The purpose was to officially welcome the Ambassador in our community, establish a personal contact, present the Chamber with its stakeholders, business-related activities and opportunities, but also to hear from the Ambassador about his views and plans in the near future.
Costa Rica became the 38th member of the OECD in May 2021. Steady growth, a green trademark and strong investment in education and social responsibility are the basis for its economy. For Switzerland, Costa Rica ist the 6th largest export market in Latin America and the largest in Central America (CHF 200 mn export volume), mostly goods from the pharmaceutical and medtech sectors as well as watches. Switzerland imports CHF 100 mn worth of goods from Costa Rica, mostly agricultural products, e.g. coffee. One of the greatest challenges for Costa Rica currently is the recovery of the tourism sector, which has suffered from the consequences of the pandemic.
LATCAM wishes the Ambassador a successful tenure and looks forward to a productive cooperation.
