The Inter-American Development Bank today announced that it will hold the 49th Annual Meeting of its Board of Governors in Miami in April 2008.
IDB President, Luis Alberto Moreno, and Assistant Secretary of the U.S.Treasury for International Affairs, Clay Lowery, were joined by the President of the Miami Host Committee, Jorge L. Arrizurieta, the IDB Executive Director for the United States, Hector Morales, and local officials and businessmen at a launching ceremony in Miami’s Intercontinental Hotel.
Moreno welcomed participants and thanked the United States, Florida and Miami governments for offering to host next year’s meeting. Clay Lowery, delivered a message from the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson, who hailed the opportunity to work for a stronger cooperation in the Americas.
Moreno described the city of Miami, an unparalleled hub of business activity between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean, as the perfect location to serve as a gateway to progress in the region and a bridge with the world.
“It makes great sense for the IDB to convene its most important meeting of the year in Miami,” said Moreno. “With its strong ties to Latin America and the Caribbean, no other city in the United States can match Miami as a venue to showcase some of the exciting things that are happening in our region, to discuss its potential and participate in its future.”
The Annual Meeting of the IDB Board of Governors (the Bank’s highest policymaking body, consisting of finance ministers and central bankers) is the main forum for discussion of political, economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB Group’s Inter-American Investment Corporation also holds its Governors meeting in conjunction with the IDB.
A gathering of finance ministers that attracts thousands of participants, including high-ranking government officials, bankers, business and civil society leaders, academics and journalists from the IDB’s 47 member countries, the IDB Annual Meeting is a premier forum to identify new opportunities and partnerships to foster development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Marco Rubio, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the State of Florida, ratified his state support to the initiative.
City of Miami Mayor Manuel Díaz welcomed public and private sector leaders participating in the event and committed the traditional hospitality and vitality of the city and its people for a successful regional event in April.
“The selection of Miami, Florida, as the home of the IDB’s annual meeting for 2008 is an additional reaffirmation of our role in the Hemisphere,” said Arrizurieta on behalf of the Miami Host Committee. “We are the undisputed business center and gateway for the Americas. We are honored and humbled by this opportunity and look forward to working with the public and private sector throughout the Hemisphere to ensure that this annual meeting of the IDB be the best in its 49 year history.”
World renowned pop artist Romero Britto, named artistic director for the next IDB Annual Meeting, unveiled during the event his theme and the logo he designed for the meetings.
“I am extremely honored to have been selected by the IDB to serve as the artistic director of the Host Committee. This painting is a symbol of hope, and celebrates the efforts of these forty-seven countries of the Western Hemisphere coming together to foster growth and development around the world,” said Britto, the Miami resident, born in Recife, Brazil, who acquired fame as one of the premiere pop artists of our time with his strong, upbeat and colorful compositions.
The IDB Annual Meeting will feature a series of seminars on issues such as innovation in energy, trade and competitiveness, small and medium-sized businesses and access to credit, and growth and social inclusion. IDB Annual Meetings are held in a different city in a member country every year. The April 4-8, 2008 meeting will be the second held in Miami.
The 2008 Annual Meetings will be a carbon neutral event. Starting in 2006, the IDB decided to offset or neutralize its own greenhouse gas emissions generated from flights, local travel, accommodation and conference venue for thousands of participants in this annual event by buying carbon credits and helping bring renewable energy solutions to communities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The IDB is the oldest and largest regional development bank and the main source of multilateral financing in Latin America and the Caribbean. IDB lending and guarantees to Latin America and the Caribbean totaled $6.4 billion in 2006 and more than $140 billion since 1961.