It is Necessary to Rethink and Recreate Financial and International Cooperation Systems Altogether (ECLAC)

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The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena, reaffirmed today that developing countries and especially middle-income countries (which comprise the majority of the region’s nations) need a liquidity boost and to participate actively in debt relief initiatives.

To read the entire article (also available in Spanish), please click on the following LINK.

Fintech panel (hybrid event): Growth in Mexico and Switzerland (July 15,2021)

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Discover the Fintech ecosystem: Financial inclusion, cybersecurity, openbanking, blockchain and more!

As part of the celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Switzerland, the Embassy of Switzerland and its Swiss Business Hub Mexico in collaboration with the Swiss-Mexican Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Switzerland Global Enterprise, organize the Fintech panel 2021 that aims to promote Mexico as the gateway to Latin America for the fintech innovators. This interactive webinar introduces Mexico’s banking and financial services landscape and explains the market potential for Swiss companies. Lear about the country’s pro-startup Fintech law and network with Mexican entrepreneurs and senior executives.

To see the program and register for this hybrid event, please click on the following link:

Swiss Fintech Panel Invitation EN_

Video meeting LATCAM – Swiss Colombian Chamber of Commerce (June 29, 2021)

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The road to future cooperation

 

LATCAM is delighted to have had the opportunity to offer its Board members a virtual platform for a productive exchange with their peers of the Swiss Colombian Chamber of Commerce. The Zoom meeting was introduced by a powerful introductory statement from H.E. Yvonne Baumann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Colombia, who emphasized the traditionally strong economic relations between Switzerland and Colombia and summarized the social and political situation in Colombia.

During the lively discussion that followed on the welcoming remarks from both sides, we touched on a number of topics, such as the government’s handling of the enormous inflow of Venezuelan migrants, the challenge of millions of new urban poor, the necessity to enhance and broaden education to give young people a perspective, the opportunities for foreign investment in sectors like healthcare, infrastructure, etc.

Participants from the Swiss side included Manfred Ebling, Member of the Board and Treasurer (Zurich Insurance), Carlos E. Represas, Member of the Board (Bombardier), Andreas Berger, Member of the Board (Swiss Re), Sandra Righetti, Member of the Board (Mercantil Bank), Philippe G. Nell, Honorary Ambassador of LATCAM, Tatjana Gaspar, Managing Director of LATCAM, and Benjamin Werenfels (Switzerland Global Enterprise).

On the Colombian side, participants included H.E. Yvonne Baumann, Ambassador of Switzerland to Colombia, Harold Karam, President of CCCS (Farma de Colombia), Jarvey Barrantes, Member of the Board of CCCS (Firmenich), Carlos Ernesto Varela, Member of the Board of CCCS (Endress + Hauser), Carlos Manuel Rebolledo, Member of the Board of CCCS (Nutrition Link), Carlos Barragán, Member of the Board of CCCS (Nestlé), Eduardo Garduño, Member of the Board of CCCS, (Swiss Re), Alois Gitterle, Member of the Board of CCCS (Independent), Martin Kleiner, Member of the Board of CCCS, Alexander von Bila, Member of the Board of CCCS (von Bila-de la Pava & Bertoletti), and Silvia Gutiérrez, Executive Director of CCCS.

 

 

 

 

LATCAM meets members of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (June 25, 2021)

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A Colombian business delegation from the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce visited Switzerland among several European countries. The group consisted of eminent business leaders whose companies represented different sectors of the Colombian economy. Among the organizations invited to introduce their services to the Colombian delegation were Switzerland Global Enterprise, represented by Martina Bietenhader and David Avery, Swissrail, represented by its President Michele Molinari, and LATCAM, represented by Tatjana Gaspar.

The Colombian delegation included:

  • Alejandro Ángel Manrique, CEO, Caribbean Exotics
  • Karen Carvajalino Martínez, Co-Founder, The Biz Nation
  • María Mónica Conde Barragán, Vice-President International Affairs, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce
  • Diego Córdoba Mallarino, Board of Directors, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce
  • Luis Guillermo Echeverri Vélez, Chairman, Ecopetrol
  • Luis Alberto Echeverry Garzón, CEO, Transportes Vigia
  • Sylvia Escovar Gómez, Board of Directors, Terpel
  • Sandra Rocío Neira Liévano, CEO, Sapristi
  • Leonardo Sicard Abad, Board of Directors, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce
  • Nicolás Uribe Rueda, Executive President, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce
  • Ari Wancier Rode, CEO, DELI
  • María Mónica Conde Barragán, Vice-President International Affairs, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce
  • Tita Carolina Peña López, Advisor, Bogotá Chamber of Commerce

The meeting on June 25, 2021, at the premises of SECO was hosted by Minister Hervé Lohr, Deputy Head of the Americas, and in the presence of the Colombian Ambassador H.E. Sofía Gaviria Correa and Minister Plenipotentiary Ricardo Vélez Benedetti. Marco Kräuchi held a presentation about the activities of SECO in the region.

Tatjana Gaspar held a presentation about the Chamber’s mission, activities and services. We agreed to open a new channel of cooperation, which may benefit Colombian companies wishing to explore business opportunities in Switzerland.

(photo courtesy of SECO)

 

Invest in Brazil Infrastructure-Roads Edition (June 22, 2021)

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ApexBrasil is inviting you to this virtual event. To learn more and register, please click on the following LINK.

LATCAM is interviewed by AIJUDEFA (June 8, 2021)

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Ramon Esteve, President of LATCAM, and Tatjana Gaspar, Managing Director of LATCAM, were honored to be invited by LATCAM member Markus Zwicky and AIJUDEFA (Asociación Internacional de Juristas de Derecho de Familia) to participate as interview partners in a webinar CAFE-APERITIVO AIJUDEFA. The purpose was to portrait the Chamber and its activities, partners and vision to a new potential audience of attorneys-at-law in Spain and Latin America.

You can watch the recording of the discussion (in Spanish) on our YouTube Channel LATCAMSWITZERLAND.

Digital event: Colombia Inside Out 2021, June 22-24, 2021 (Procolombia)

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COLOMBIA INSIDE OUT 2021 is an institutional event aimed at attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the country, as well as facilitating the provision of products and services. COLOMBIA INSIDE OUT 2021 is a digital platform bringing together a portfolio of opportunities for global investors and companies.

Opportunities for foreign investors include the following sectors: Energy, Infrastructure, Technology, Hospitality and Tourism Infrastructure, Agribusiness, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare.

To learn more about the conference and register (free), please click on this LINK

 

LATCAM welcomes the new Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Switzerland

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Ramon Esteve, Linda Walker, Dr. Philippe G. Nell and Tatjana Gaspar spoke in a video call with H.E. Ambassador José Sánchez Fung from the Dominican Republic.

The purpose was to welcome the Ambassador in our community, establish a first 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.

With a population of 10.6 million, the Dominican Republic has the largest GPD in Central America and the Caribbean and has achieved robust growth over the past decade. Other than tourism, which may be the commonly best-known sector that suffered most through the pandemic, infrastructure, mining, manufacturing and real estate are other important sectors open to foreign investment. They are expected to contribute significantly to the recovery.
In 2020, the country was the third largest source of Swiss imports from Latin America with 1.14 billion, mostly gold (97%). Swiss exports amounted to CHF 34 million with mainly machines, pharmaceuticals, optical and medical instruments. Swiss investment stock amounted to CHF 265 million (2019).
Nestlé has two factories for the domestic market and exports. On November 13, 2020, in the presence of President Luis Abinader and several ministers, Nestlé broke the ground for a biomass plant at the site of San Francisco de Macoris where it produces dairy products. By 2023, Nestlé will invest an additional USD 70 million and by 2025 all packaging will be recyclable and reusable according to Nestlé’s “Zero Waste to Landfill” guidelines.
Swiss investors benefit from an Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (2006). Trade with the Dominican Republic increased vigorously during the first quarter of this year for Swiss exports (+18%) and imports (+11%).

LATCAM wishes the Ambassador a successful tenure and looks forward to a productive cooperation.

 

 

Bundespräsident Guy Parmelin trifft Schweizer Exportwirtschaft

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LATCAM was one of the 22 Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations invited by President of the Federal Council Guy Parmelin to the 4th Roundtable discussion on the current challenges of the Swiss export community.

Our Vice-President Linda Walker von Graffenried represented LATCAM at this important event.

We would also like to thank our Board members Bühler Group, Bank Julius Bär, Swiss Re and Zurich Insurance for providing us with their input prior to the Roundtable.

To read the official press release in German or French, please click on one of the following links: Deutsch Français