The Partnership for Central America, the Wilson Center and the Annenberg Trust Co-hosted a Pre-Summit of the Americas Planning Session on Near-shoring and Renewable Energy
PALM SPRINGS, April 20, 2022 – The Wilson Center and the Annenberg Trust, in collaboration with the Partnership for Central America (PCA) and the U.S. Government, convened an event to discuss opportunities for nearshoring and manufacturing across Latin America in advance of the Ninth Summit of the Americas. The event brought together leaders from 13 Latin American and Caribbean countries, five U.S. government agencies, two multilateral development banks, and seven private sector companies to engage in intimate and action-oriented discussions. During the panel “Mechanisms to Encourage Nearshoring,” PCA Executive Director Jonathan Fantini-Porter highlighted opportunities to create new jobs in textile and apparel manufacturing in Northern Central America.
Nearshoring has tremendous potential to create jobs in Central America. It addresses supply chain challenges by bringing manufacturing closer to the market. The event’s discussions focused on identifying financial incentives and addressing other barriers to support nearshoring investment in the region. It also outlined strategies for governments, private sector organizations, and multilateral development banks to support deeper integration of Latin American economies in US-based global supply chains and foster the transition to renewable energy.
The Partnership for Central America was established to mobilize and coordinate public-private partnerships and to increase investment in Northern Central America. Hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador struggle with stagnating economic growth and limited social mobility. Nearshoring has the potential to create hundreds of thousands of jobs to the region and expand hope.
Together with the Partnership, event organizers will issue a report that highlights conclusions and recommendations on nearshoring and the renewable energy transition, which will be shared with key decision makers to inform Summit outcomes and commitments.
Event attendees included Ian Saunders, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere of the U.S. Department of Commerce; Kevin O’Reilly, Summit of the Americas National Coordinator, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State; Nathan Younge, Regional Director of Latin America and the Caribbean at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA); Jonathan Feigelson on the General Counsel for the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM); Daniel Legarda, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade, Government of Ecuador; Ignacio Horvath, CEO, ANCAP, Government of Uruguay; Carlos Guillermo Flaquer, Vice Minister of Commerce, Government of the Dominican Republic; Marta Gordon, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Panama; Farid Hannan, Director for Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Mexico; Gabriela Castro, Director, Investment and Cooperation Division, Government of Costa Rica; Kerrie Symmonds, Minister of Energy and Business Development, Government of Barbados; Aubyn Hill, Minister of industry, Government of Jamaica; Valeria Moy, Director General, Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) (Mexico); Carlos Berrara, CEO, Atlas Renewable Energy (U.S.); José Antonio Muñoz, managing partner, Dentons (U.S.); Marcelo Kloster, CEO, IMPSA (Argentina); David Price, PriceSmart (U.S.); Paula Buendia, Vice President of ANDI (Asociación Nacional de Empresarios de Colombia) (Colombia); Benigno López Benítez, Vice President for Sectors and Knowledge at the Inter-American Development Bank; Jorge Arbache, Vice President for Private Sector at CAF (Development Bank of Latin America); Cynthia Arnson, Director at the Wilson Center Latin American Program; and Benjamin N. Gedan, Deputy Director at the Wilson Center Latin American Program.
Read the Wilson Center’s press release here.
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The Partnership for Central America is a coordinating body for Vice President Harris’s Call to Action to Deepen Private Sector Investment in Central America. The Partnership aims to facilitate and support practical solutions to advance economic opportunity, address urgent climate, education and health challenges, and promote long-term investments and workforce capability in support of a vision of hope for Central America. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to support@centampartnership.org.
