Agenda Intra-Regional Relations

Transcription

1 Agenda Intra-Regional Relations Meeting of High-Level Officials on Productive and Industrial Development in Latin America and the Caribbean Caracas, Venezuela 03 and 04 October 2013 SP-CELAC/RFANDPIALC/DT N 1-13

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3 Agenda SP-CELAC/RFANDPIALC/DT N MEETING OF HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS ON PRODUCTIVE AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Caracas, 03 and 04 October 2013 BACKGROUND At the Meeting of Regional and Subregional Integration Mechanisms of Latin America and the Caribbean, held at the headquarters of SELA in Caracas on 25 and 26 October 2010, under the Pro Tempore Presidency of the CALC, the Permanent Secretariat of SELA was entrusted with the task of facilitating the Regional Dialogue on the Productive Dimension of Latin American and Caribbean Integration. For this reason, the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean (CALC) and the Permanent Secretariat of SELA organized the Meeting of Regional and Subregional Integration Mechanisms on the Productive Dimension ", which was held in Caracas on 5 May 2011 and was attended by representatives of the Member States of SELA and regional integration and cooperation organizations. On that occasion, the following recommendations were adopted: i) From the most recent experiences and changes in development strategies and policies in LAC, productive integration projects should be prioritized within subregional and regional integration processes. ii) Productive integration is key not only to consolidate the integration process itself, but also to achieve progress in terms of social inclusion, reduction in asymmetries within our countries, among our nations and against the world, and improve the international insertion of LAC countries. iii) The proposal for a productive integration agenda in LAC must include the concepts of partnership and productive complementation as central elements in defining strategies and policies on development and productive integration in Latin America and the Caribbean. iv) It is of particular relevance to review and explore regional mechanisms to finance projects for productive integration. v) The Latin American and Caribbean multinational companies, arising from productive complementation, constitute a very promising tool that should be enhanced in the process of productive integration in Latin America and the Caribbean. vi) Bearing in mind the importance of the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) both in economic and social terms participants noted the advisability of coordinating the various programmes supporting SMEs that have been undertaken in the different integration processes co-existing in Latin America and the Caribbean, in particular on productive integration. As part of these joint coordination efforts, a proposal with a regional scope could be defined, with specific initiatives to support SMEs in LAC,

4 Permanent Secretariat Intra-Regional Relations 2 taking into account the lessons learned from the various existing regional and subregional projects. vii) An eventual Conference of CELAC on the Productive and Industrial Dimension in Latin America and the Caribbean should include the following aspects, among others: a) Define the nature and scope that productive and industrial promotion policies should have amid the current conditions in our region; b) Identify the potential contributions of their various components in order to make some headway with specific projects for productive integration in Latin America and the Caribbean; and c) Define the most promising specific projects for productive integration in the region, based on a critical review of regional and subregional cooperation efforts in the production area. In addition, in the Caracas Action Plan 2012, the Latin American and Caribbean Presidents reiterated that it was advisable to assess the possibility of holding a Latin American and Caribbean Conference on productive and industrial development. The Plan was adopted by the Summit of Latin America and the Caribbean (CALC), held in Caracas on 2 and 3 December 2011, which gave rise to the creation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), as part of the Chapter on Complementarity and Cooperation among regional and subregional integration mechanisms. As a result of the V Meeting of National Coordinators of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), held in Havana, Cuba, on 9 and 10 May 2013, the Permanent Secretariat of SELA was authorized to convene, in coordination with ECLAC, a Meeting of Senior Officials of the Member States of CELAC on Productive and Industrial Development, which was scheduled to be held at the headquarters of SELA in Caracas. This meeting was held on 03 and 04 October 2013 and was intended to assess the productive development and industrialization policies implemented in the region, identify the key elements and strategies that should be taken into account to carry out an agenda for regional consultations on thematic and sectoral issues concerning productive and industrial development of regional interest, in order to reach conclusions and proposals that serve as a basis for the debates on a possible CELAC Conference on the Productive and Industrial Dimension in Latin America and the Caribbean. II. Introduction In the past decade, Latin America and the Caribbean saw its greatest period of economic growth since the 1960s, with rates above the world average. This process was partly due to the policies that allowed for macroeconomic variables to evolve in a balanced way. A favourable international context characterized by improvements in the terms of trade exchanges for economies exporting basic products, substantial increases in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows and a swift access to international financial resources helped prevent or ease historical tensions in foreign relations, particularly for natural resource exporting countries. In view of this scenario, the issue of regional integration in Latin America and the Caribbean gains special interest, since its potentials have never been fully tapped. In

5 Agenda SP-CELAC/RFANDPIALC/DT N 1-13 addition, the current recession or stagnation in developed countries has led to a crucial relation among investments, exports and participation in global value chains, while huge strides have been made in terms of interconnection among the countries of the region thanks to the progress made in information and communication technologies, transportation and trade liberalization. Thus, at present, we have a stronger regional market, which tends to be favoured by situations such as an increase in its population and a great expansion of its middle class. However, the main structural problems that have historically plagued the region still persist, such as the gaps in productivity with respect to developed or industrialized economies in Asia, a high structural heterogeneity among the 33 countries of the region, a low diversification of production and an inequitable distribution of income. For the region to undertake a new course in a cooperative way, shared policies for productive and industrial development are required, by adopting a vision of sustainable development, promoting technological development of the various productive areas, exploring new niches to take advantage of the advances in research and development (R&D), creating and integrating productive chains in the region, developing suppliers and facilitating the financing of productive projects, especially for SMEs. Of course, such a process must be complemented by deepening trade liberalization and constructing transportation and communications infrastructure, while adopting strategies for the promotion of intra-regional investment and mutual trade, both in goods and services. 3

6 Permanent Secretariat Intra-Regional Relations 4 Agenda Meeting of High-Level Officials on Productive and Industrial Development in Latin America and the Caribbean Headquarters of SELA, Caracas, 03 and 04 October 2013 Organizers Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC, Permanent Secretariat of SELA, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Participants High-level representatives of the Ministries of Economy and Industry, representatives of multilateral, regional and subregional organizations, and invited experts Objectives Promote the political dialogue about the need for outlining industrial policies with a systemic approach that contributes to promote diversification and complexity of the productive matrix in the region, under a vision of sustainable development and social inclusion. Assess the situation of productive and industrial development in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the national and subregional policies and experiences and the various forms of cooperation and integration being implemented in this area. Identify the key elements for designing a regional strategy aimed at overcoming the structural limitations of the Latin American and Caribbean productive apparatus, while contributing to bridge productivity gaps. Design the elements of a work programme to develop the conditions for the creation of an integrated regional space, geared towards a productive transformation with equity, social inclusion and sustainability. Consider the drafting of an agenda for regional consultations to deal with thematic and sectoral issues concerning productive and industrial development in the region, in order to reach conclusions and proposals that serve as a basis for the debates on a possible CELAC Conference on the Productive and Industrial Dimension in Latin America and the Caribbean, in compliance with the Caracas Action Plan Development of the meeting This activity comprised presentations and debates aimed at encouraging political dialogue between the institutional stakeholders of the countries in the region. The main ideas stemming from these panels were summarized in the conclusions and recommendations that will be submitted by the Pro Tempore Presidency at the next Summit of CELAC. Participants contributed to the debates by sharing substantial aspects as regards the experiences gained in their countries and regions and presenting proposals for regional action in Latin America and the Caribbean.

7 Agenda SP-CELAC/RFANDPIALC/DT N Agenda Thursday, 03 October :30-9:00 REGISTRATION 09:15-09:25 OPENING SESSION Ambassador Roberto Guarnieri, Permanent Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) Lenin Echevarría, First Vice-Minister of Industry of Cuba, Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC Gabriel Porcile, Economic Affairs Officer of the Productive and Business 09:25-12:30 HIGH-LEVEL SESSION Moderator: Lenin Echevarría, First Vice-Minister of Industry of Cuba, Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC Productive Development and Industrialization in Latin America and the Caribbean: Claudia Schatan, SELA s consultant Towards a sustainable and inclusive industrial development, Carlos Chanduvi, Head of the UNIDO Secretariat s Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean Structural Change for Equity: Gabriel Porcile, Economic Affairs Officer of the Productive and Business 12:30 14:30 Free time for lunch Afternoon 14: 30 16:30 INTRODUCTORY SESSION: PRODUCTIVE AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES This session aimed to discuss some national experiences as regards industrial policy. Limitations of internal markets, the lack of competitiveness and the specialization profile focused on the exploitation of natural resources in enclave economies (low generation of linkages, dissemination of knowledge and job creation) seem difficult to be changed. Therefore, the objective of diversifying productive matrices to adopt more inclusive, sustainable and dynamic models requires outlining industrial policies. Moderator: Gabriel Porcile, Economic Affairs Officer of the Productive and Business Francisco Lazo Marín, Vice-Minister of Trade and Industry of El Salvador Juan Díaz Mazadiego, Director-General of Foreign Trade, Secretariat of Economy of Mexico

8 Permanent Secretariat Intra-Regional Relations 6 16:30-18:30 SESSION I: REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND PRODUCTIVE AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT Presentations by subregional integration organizations about the impact of their integration processes on the promotion of the productive and industrial development of their member countries Moderator: Juan Acuña, Director of Integration and Cooperation of SELA Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Leela Ramoutar, Specialist in Private Sector Facilitation Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), Camilo Rivero, National Coordinator Productive Integration Group (GIP) of MERCOSUR Friday, 04 October :00 11:50 SESSION II: DIVERSIFICATION, INDUSTRIAL DEEPENING AND PRODUCTIVE COORDINATION The strategies aimed at consolidating better coordinated and more complex value chains are a valuable policy tool to tighten the local productive fabric and integrate businesses into global markets. Within this context, the capabilities of enterprises and institutions, the characteristics of the environment and the external relations of the productive sector shape up the key intervention areas for industrial policy. Moderator: Sofía Rojo, Economic Affairs Officer, Productive and Business Vivian Ventura, SELA s consultant. Presentation: Value chains, SMEs and Public Policies. International Experiences and Lessons for Latin America and the Caribbean Lucía Fuentes de Ferguson, Director-General of Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Panama Camilo Morales, Vice-Minister of Large and Medium-Scale Industrial Production of Bolivia Sofía Rojo, Economic Affairs Officer, Productive and Business 11:50-12:15 Coffee break

9 Agenda SP-CELAC/RFANDPIALC/DT N :15-13:35 SESSION III: SMEs: INDUSTRIAL INTEGRATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISSEMINATION The industrial policy aimed at improving the performance of smaller companies requires a systemic effort to improve endogenous capabilities. It is important to consider that the low productivity of smaller companies is one of the main sources of low quality, informal and unstable jobs with low remuneration, which contributes to poverty. Moderator: Antonio Leone, Coordinator of the SELA-SMEs Programme 7 Marco Dini, Economic Affairs Officer, Productive and Business Pablo Villar, National Director of Handicrafts, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Uruguay Ignacio de León, Institutions for Development Specialist of the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB) Paola Restrepo, President of the Colombian Federation of the Software Industry (FEDESOFT) 13:35 13:45 SESSION IV: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AN EVENTUAL CONFERENCE ON PRODUCTIVE AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN The Permanent Secretariat of SELA and the Secretariat of ECLAC, in collaboration with the Moderators and Rapporteurs of each session, presented the draft conclusions and recommendations which could serve as terms of reference for specialized events to dwell deeper into the study of topics and sectors of regional interest, whose recommendations could lead to the eventual organization of a Latin American and Caribbean Conference on Productive and Industrial Development. Moderator: Lenin Echevarría, First Vice-Minister of Industry of Cuba, Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC 16:00 CLOSING SESSION Ambassador Roberto Guarnieri, Permanent Secretary of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) Lenin Echevarría, First Vice-Minister of Industry of Cuba, Pro Tempore Presidency of CELAC Gabriel Porcile, Economic Affairs Officer of the Productive and Business 16:30 Vin d honneur