500 LEADERS TO DISCUSS IMPLICATIONS OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS FOR LATIN AMERICA

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – The participants and programme of the World Economic Forum on Latin America, to be held in Rio de Janeiro on 14-16 April, were announced today. Co-hosted by the Government of Brazil, with support of the Government of Rio de Janeiro and in partnership with APEX-Brasil Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, the World Economic Forum will bring together over 500 leaders from more than 35 countries, representing business, government, academia, civil society and media.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will open the World Economic Forum on Latin America, under the theme “Implications of the Global Economic Crisis for Latin America”. The programme is designed to generate insight into how the region is responding to the current economic slowdown and is built around five thematic pillars: Responding Proactively to the Economic Slowdown; Building Bridges among Regions; Integration to Build a Better Future; Public Policies for Sustainable Growth; and Challenges and Opportunities for a Green Development Cycle. The full programme is available here.

The Co-Chairs of the meeting reflect the high level of international business participation in the World Economic Forum on Latin America: Jim Goodnight, Chief Executive Officer, SAS Institute, USA; Lord Levene, Chairman, Lloyd's, United Kingdom; Marcelo Bahia Odebrecht, Chief Executive Officer, Engineering and Construction, Odebrecht Brazil, and President, Odebrecht Group, Brazil; Ricardo Villela Marino, Chief Executive Officer, Latin America, Banco Itaú Unibanco, Brazil; and Timothy P. Flynn, Chairman, KPMG International, KPMG, USA.

Other heads of state participating in this year’s meeting include Leonel Fernández, President of the Dominican Republic, and Alvaro Uribe Velez, President of Colombia. Strong representation by Brazilian ministers and policy-makers includes Sérgio de Oliveira Cabral, Governor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Eduardo da Costa Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Patrus Ananias, Minister of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger of Brazil; Joaquim Levy, Secretary of Finance, Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Carlos Eduardo de Souza Braga, Governor of Amazonas, Brazil; José Gomes Temporão, Minister of Health of Brazil; Dilma Rousseff, Minister of the Presidency of Brazil; Henrique de Campos Meirelles, Governor of the Central Bank of Brazil; Aloizio Mercadante, Federal Senator of Brazil; and Carlos Minc, Minister of Environment of Brazil

"The partnership between Apex-Brasil and the World Economic Forum to bring the regional meeting to Brazil has been ongoing since last year. We are aware of the importance of having Brazil at the centre of the debate on the global economic crisis and its implications for Latin America. Therefore, we decided to support this event. I am sure that the two days of discussion will be essential to find solutions that will stimulate a return to economic growth," said Alessandro Teixeira, President, APEX-Brasil (Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), Brazil.

“The meeting is happening at a crucial time for Latin America. With the G20 London Summit just behind us, the World Economic Forum on Latin America will be an opportunity for the participants to discuss what the region’s response to the global economic crisis will look like in concrete terms,” said Emilio Lozoya Austin, Director, Head of Latin America, World Economic Forum. “With its vast natural resources, rich biodiversity, young workforce and stable financial systems in the largest regional economies, Latin America has a strong potential to weather the current crisis successfully, but it must not loose sight of its long-term challenge to harmonize economic expansion and social progress as well.”