Latin America regional integration can be characterized by the co-existence of multiple trade agreements: there are 33 of these in total, their membership is limited in scope, and they generally act as separate silos which lack important interconnections between them. Common sense indicates that while this “spaghetti bowl” of agreements might encourage production linkages … [Read more...] about The Spaghetti Bowl and International Supply Chains
Waste not, want not: Strengthening LAC agrifood exports through robust cold chain logistics
The global food industry loses a staggering amount annually: US$750 billion. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), roughly 55 percent of post-harvest fruit and vegetables are lost, mostly due to problems arising during storage, packaging, and distribution. At the same time, high logistics costs hurt trade in food and agriculture, increasing final prices by 30 percent to 100 … [Read more...] about Waste not, want not: Strengthening LAC agrifood exports through robust cold chain logistics
How Competitive Are Latin American Exports?
Policies to springboard the competitiveness of Latin America’s economies were a core topic during talks at the World Economic Forum for Latin America, which recently came to a close in Brazil. At the meeting, political and business leaders agreed that the recent shift in the global trade cycle, which has begun to expand again after years of contraction and stagnation, … [Read more...] about How Competitive Are Latin American Exports?
Twelve Heads of State and More than 1,000 Business Leaders Take Part in the CEO Summit of the Americas
Every three years, the CEO Summit of the Americas brings together heads of state and leading CEOs from the region to analyze opportunities for promoting economic growth and investment and facilitating trade through unprecedented interaction between the public and private sectors via the Americas Business Dialogue (ABD). Some 12 heads of state and over 1,000 business leaders … [Read more...] about Twelve Heads of State and More than 1,000 Business Leaders Take Part in the CEO Summit of the Americas
Increasing the Involvement of Latin American Companies in Global Value Chains
The fragmentation of production processes is an enormous opportunity for countries and companies wishing to put themselves on the global manufacturing and export map What might a vehicle part, a jacket with motion sensors for gaming, a quinoa harvest, or software for managing dairy cattle have in common? All these goods and services are “Made in the Americas,” a marketing … [Read more...] about Increasing the Involvement of Latin American Companies in Global Value Chains