Latin America has not achieved remarkable growth rates in recent decades. Is this the result of external factors, such as the instability of international capital markets, or is it the product of the countries' own circumstances, such as its macroeconomic management, institutional deficiencies or lack of human capital? What are the immediate prospects for the region given volatile external financial conditions and the economic deceleration in the United States? What should governments do to promote growth in an environment of increasing international integration? Finance ministers and reknowned international analysts will offer their answers to these disquieting questions.
Contact: Eduardo Lora - eduardol@iadb.org
____________________________________________________________________________________
9:15 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Welcome
Enrique V. Iglesias, President, Inter-American Development Bank
____________________________________________________________________________________
9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
Introduction
Guillermo Calvo, Chief Economist-Designate, Inter-American Development Bank
____________________________________________________________________________________
10:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
What is hindering growth in Latin America?
Notwithstanding macroeconomic policies and structural reform during the last decade, growth in many countries continues at a slow pace. Panelists will be asked to identify the major impediments to growth in their countries, with special attention to: (i) the international outlook, (ii) domestic economic policies, and (iii) public institutions (rule of law, corruption, government efficiency).
Moderator:
Claudio Loser, Director, Western Hemisphere Department, International Monetary Fund
Panelists:
Nicolás Eyzaguirre, Minister of Finance, Chile
José Luis Machinea, Minister of Economy, Argentina
Martus Tavares, Minister of Planning, Budget and Administration, Brazil
Juan Manuel Santos, Minister of Finance, Colombia
Omar Davies, Minister of Finance, Jamaica
Francisco Gil Díaz, Secretary of Finance, Mexico
____________________________________________________________________________________
11:45 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
What can governments do?
Panelists will be asked to identify two priority areas of action to accelerate sustainable growth, taking into account the international outlook and the limited production resources of economies. Possible areas of action might include macroeconomic policies, sectoral policies and institutional reform.
Moderator:
Eduardo Lizano, President, Central Bank of Costa Rica
Panelists:
Jose Antonio Ocampo, Executive Secretary, ECLAC
Jacob A. Frenkel, Chairman, Merrill Lynch International, Inc.
Shahid Javed Burki, Executive Director, EMP
Ricardo Hausmann, Professor, Harvard University
____________________________________________________________________________________
1:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m.
Conclusions and Closing
Guillermo Calvo, Chief Economist-Designate, Inter-American Development Bank
____________________________________________________________________________________
