An estimated 3,500 participants, including Latin America's leading social and economic policy officials, gathered in Santiago, Chile, from March 19–21 for the IDB's annual meeting.
The 42nd meeting of the Bank's Board of Governors was held concurrently with 16 seminars on topics ranging from sports and development to ethics and government reform. The 16th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Inter-American Investment Corporation, the IDB Group member that provides support to the private sector, was also held concurrently.
The IDB meeting is considered the most important yearly forum on Latin American and Caribbean financial and development issues. Participants include official delegates from the Bank's 46 member countries, observers from international organizations, representatives from banks and other private firms, members of nongovernmental organizations, and the media.
The governors reviewed the Bank's Annual Report 2000 and presented statements related to IDB policy issues and the economic and social challenges facing the countries of the region.
Seminars at the meeting included the following topics:
Women at work: the progress made and the challenges that remain in creating equitable conditions for women in the region’s labor force.
Sports and development: the current and potential impact of sports in general, and soccer in particular, on the economies of the region.
Good governance and development: how reform programs can create the political and legal environment necessary for sustainable and equitable development.
Towards competitiveness: priorities for institutional reform in the areas of macroeconomic management, laws governing dealings between debtors and creditors, and infrastructure.
Ethics and economics: the role of ethical values in the development process, current dilemmas, the social responsibility of employers, the ethical responsibilities of political leadership, and the role of civil society.
Modernization of civil aviation: the reforms that are needed to expand and operate airport infrastructure, promote safety, and protect the rights of consumers.
Pension funds: how to increase coverage and gauge the impact of demographic changes.
People with disabilities: what must be done to raise decision makers’ awareness of the importance of policies that seek the inclusion of persons with disabilities for advancing modern societies.
Latin America and Asia: the status of commercial, social, political and academic ties between the two regions, and how they can be enhanced.
Secondary education reform: what countries must do to provide noncollege preparatory training and meet new objectives.
Growth in Latin America: What is holding up growth? Economic policy? Lack of education? Institutions?
Socially responsive globalization: the responsibilities of business, governments, NGOs and unions.
Internet and the media: exploring recent advances in telecommunications technology in the region and the impact of the Internet.
Information on many of these seminars is available at the IDB's the official Annual Meeting website.