WASHINGTON, DC – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) yesterday convened a meeting of finance ministers from the Western Hemisphere at its headquarters.
In attendance were:
Jacob J. Lew, US Secretary of the Treasury,
Frank De Lima, Minister of Economy and Finance of Panama,
Mauricio Cárdenas Santa María, Minister of Finance and Public Credit of Colombia,
Luis Videgaray Caso, Secretary of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico,
Wilson Laleau, Minister of Economy and Finance of Haiti,
James Flaherty, Minister of Finance of Canada,
Hernán Lorenzino, Minister of Economy and Public Finances of Argentina,
Luis Miguel Castilla Rubio, Minister of Economy and Finance of Peru,
Edgar Ayales, Minister of Finance of Costa Rica,
Manuel Ferreira Brusquetti, Minister of Finance of Paraguay,
Larry Howai, Minister of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago,
Mario Bergara, President of the Central Bank of Uruguay.
In welcoming the ministers, IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno underscored the importance of working together to promote greater economic growth and competitiveness throughout the hemisphere.“Latin America is doing well, but it could do better,” President Moreno said. “The challenge now is to prevent this progress from being a temporary one. Particularly in the context of medium-term lower growth in developed countries, productivity improvements are key.”
Secretary Lew also addressed the group, emphasizing the importance of close cooperation among Western Hemisphere nations."The United States has an important stake in the success of this hemisphere’s economies," said U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew. "While the countries of the Western Hemisphere still face challenges ahead, we are prepared to work together to confront these challenges, and there has been encouraging movement that we will continue to build upon.”