Annual Meeting 2007 - Inter-American Development Bank

Saturday, 17 March - 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Salones Roble I and II -

In spite of the relatively buoyant economic situation of the last few years, large numbers of the people in Latin American and the Caribbean are not satisfied with their situation. While progress has been made in reducing the number of people living below the poverty line, most people believe they are not reaping the benefits of the improved performance of their nations' economies. Many governments in the region have implemented effective programs aimed at solving the problems associated with poverty and have increased investment in education and heath services. Nevertheless, most people continue to be pessimistic about the opportunities available to improve their situation.

While it can be claimed that resolving social problems is not the responsibility of the private sector, businesses do feel the negative repercussions these problems, which include citizen insecurity, lack of skilled workers, low purchasing power of some population groups, and so on. The private sector cannot and does not remain indifferent to these problems. It is becoming increasingly clear to many businesspeople that their companies that their long-term success depends on a successful, cohesive and stable society.

Many businesses have already recognized that their role goes beyond producing goods and services, paying taxes and creating employment. In developing countries, businesses must take on a broader role and be concerned with the overall welfare of the population, stepping in where governments fail in a way that complements the activities of governments and civil society.

The aim of this Forum is to begin a discussion of these issues with prominent representatives of the private and public sectors as well as selected members of civil society and academia. We expect the discussion to raise awareness of the options available for enhancing the quality of life of the residents of the region through coordinated and joint activities between all these parties.

Format

The Forum will be organized around two plenary and four parallel sessions, with a moderator and four speakers in each. Each session will have a moderator who will make a short presentation and lead the discussion. Each panelist will then make a concise statement and an open exchange with the audience will follow. It is expected that half of each session will be devoted to the presentations and half to the exchange with the audience. The seating arrangements will be in the interview style and PowerPoint presentations are not expected.

Contact: Antonio Vives ( ANTONIOV@iadb.org )