On 12 March 2020, IRELAC presented, as each year, together with the Belgo-Chilean
Chamber of Commerce, its assessment of macroeconomic development to the joint Annual
Conference on Latin America & the Caribbean. This important event was co-organized by
IRELAC and the Chamber, under the auspices of the Directorate for Americas of the Belgian
Federal Service of Foreign Affairs, and with the participation of Sciences Po – Paris (OPALC),
ULB (AmericAs) and VUB (Vesalius College), which was kindly welcoming the conference in
its premises this year.
The conference gathered more than 50 participants, and analyzed first the political
development of the region during the year 2019, before to discuss IRELAC and Chamber
macroeconomic forecasts for the year 2020 and the worrying impacts of the COVID-19. The
prospects are that the health crisis would produce the deepest depression from the 1929
crisis, CELAC economies face this shock from a much weaker position than in 2008, more
social debt and inequalities, less political stability, less regional integration. At the global
level the main issue is the absence of Lender-of-Last-Resort leading to a global liquidity crisis.
The Club of Brussels gave a positive answer and exposed its method for seizing the
opportunity of the depression for spurring a new dynamic cooperation between European
firms and those of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Club of Brussels gave a positive
answer and exposed its method for seizing the opportunity of the depression for spurring a
new dynamic cooperation between European firms and those of Latin America and the
Caribbean.
We are grateful to Sven Van Kerckhoven, Vesalius College (VUB) and to Mrs Ariadne Petridis,
Director for Americas (Foreign Affairs) for their support to this traditional exchange of views
between diplomats, academics, experts and business sector.
Please find the programme: PROGRAM_ANNUAL_EVENT LAC March 12
Below is one of the speeches of the conference, made in slide pdf format:
CHRISTIAM GHYMERS _PRESIDENT OF IRELAC
English