The IDB Group in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus)
The IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) publishes daily updates on the coronavirus situation in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Switzerland – Latin America Economic Relations Report 2020 by SECO
The «Switzerland – Latin America Economic Relations Report 2020» analyses the current economic situation in Latin America as well as the region’s economic relations with Switzerland with a special focus on trade and investment. It also outlines the institutional framework of Swiss-Latin American economic relations, recent official visits and presents the SECO engagement regarding the green economy.
2019 was a challenging year for Latin America with only minor economic growth, although very differently distributed among the countries with several out-performers. Swiss exports of goods to the region decreased by 3.4 percent, while imports grew by 5.2 percent, driven by gold.
During 2019, Switzerland and Latin America witnessed further progress in their economic relations. Several fruitful bilateral economic meetings took place and the negotiations between EFTA and Mercosur for a free trade agreement were concluded in substance. We hope that the document can be signed in the course of 2020.
Each year, the report features a special thematic chapter. This year’s special chapter illuminates the consequences of climate change for Latin America and the Caribbean and provides insights into efforts in the region towards a green economy. It is shown that investments into renewables and Cleantech can simultaneously promote growth and protect the environment.
To read the Report, please klick on the Link.
A view of Latin America by one of the top opinion leaders, Augusto López Claros
Augusto López Claros is one of the top opinion leaders from Latin America. The international economist, speaker and author of numerous books has over 30 years of experience in senior positions at various international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Economic Forum and, most recently, the World Bank.
Read his latest Blog:
http://augustolopez-claros.blogspot.com/
IDB non-regional members meeting in Switzerland, January 16, 2020
On behalf of IDB Group and SECO, Switzerland Global Enterprise would like to invite your company to join the IDB Get-Together with the Swiss Private Sector, which will take place on Thursday, 16 January 2020 from 14.00 to 18.00 at the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue (Gheistrasse 37, Rüschlikon) and will be headed by IDB Invest’s CEO.
Attached you will find the program of the IDB Get-Together with the Swiss Private Sector Meeting (Program Link).
For Executives of Swiss infrastructure companies, participation is free of charge but will be limited (1 representative per company).
This kind of meeting is unique in the international financial institutions landscape. If you wish to be part of it, please confirm your participation by sending an e-mail with your full contact details to Albulena Biljali: abiljali@s-ge.com
Registration deadline: 08.01.2020
Should you not be able to join, but would like to send another representative from your company, kindly send us the contact details of the designated person.
Profit from the early bird ticket for the Aussenwirtschaftsforum 2020, 28/04/20, Messe Zurich, www.s-ge.com/awf
Publication by the IDB (Nov. 2019)
Trading Promises for Results
What Global Integration can do for Latin America and the Caribbean
(edited by Mauricio Mesquita Moreira and Ernesto Stein)
- Excessive expectations on the promises of free trade led to disappointment, skepticism and reform fatigue, and in some cases, to policy reversals.
- Liberalization brought many benefits, including faster growth. Our study finds that a tariff cut accelerates per capita GDP growth. And most Latin Americans favor deeper integration.
- Some sectors and workers lose with free trade, however, and have incentives to block trade reform. Implementing good trade policies requires a deep understanding of the political economy of trade policy and an adequate institutional architecture for trade policy management.
- Succesful trade policies also require a complementary agenda to facilitate factor reallocation and protect those who are made worse off, in order to make the most of the opportunities offered by global integration, while mitigating associated risks.
Read more, download or subscribe
: Link
Brainstorming with Diplomacy
November 18, 2019
Linda Walker von Graffenried, Vice President of the LATCAM Board, Philippe Nell, Honorary Ambassador of the LATCAM Board, and Tatjana Gaspar, Managing Director of LATCAM, were invited by Ana Rosa Valdivieso, Ambassador of Peru to Switzerland, to take part in an informal 
luncheon at the residence of the Peruvian Ambassador and in the presence of Ambassadors and Embassy officials of other Latin American countries. The purpose was to open a dialogue about opportunities of mutual cooperation by strengthening ties with LATCAM, get a perspective on potential LATCAM events under consideration for 2020 and give all diplomats present a possibility to ask questions and present their views.
Focus on Uruguay
November 13, 2019
Philippe Nell, Honorary Ambassador of LATCAM, joined Alejandro Garofali, Ambassador of Uruguay to Switzerland, to meet Marcos Esteve, CEO of Banque Heritage, for lunch at the bank’s headquarters in Geneva. Banque Heritage being the only Swiss bank established in Uruguay, topics of the discussion were opportunities for Swiss banks in Uruguay as well as banking and policies affecting Uruguay’s competitiveness.
Meeting ProChile
October 31, 2019
LATCAM Board Members Gabriela Lippe-Holst and Manfred Ebling held a meeting in Zurich with Francisco Gormaz, Ambassador of Chile to Switzerland, Minister Counsellor Roberto Plaza Cañas and Dr. Marcelo Villagrán, Trade Representative at the General Consulate of Chile in Munich, engaging in a productive discussion about developing and improving business relations between Switzerland and Chile.
Foreign Affairs (Nov/Dec 2019 issue)
Foreign Affairs (Nov/Dec 2019 issue) article “Why Latin America Was Primed to Explode” by Moisés Naím and Brian Winter:
The entire article can be read by subscription only.
Meeting a Brazilian Indigenous Delegation
November 8, 2019:
Ramon Esteve, Chairman of the Board of LATCAM, and Dr. Philippe Nell, Honorary Ambassador of LATCAM, meeting with a Delegation of Brazilian Indigenous Populations and a Delegation of the STSA in Geneva, discussing threats to the Amazon Region and opportunities of the FTA.
A Statement on the above meeting by Ramon Esteve will be sent to our Members.
