The 35th Meeting of the Pacific Alliance High Level Group was held in Mexico city on July 7, with the attendance of the vice-ministers of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade from Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

The main goal of this meeting was to make progress in the review of the “deliverables” related to the fulfillment of the mandates of the Declaration of Paracas 2015, as well as in the drafting of the new mandates, in preparation for the XI Summit to be held in Puerto Varas, Chile.

During the meeting, the High Level Group (GAN) received reports from the Ministries of Finance on the progress and current status of the work plan 2015-2016 contained in Annex II of the Declaration of Paracas; was informed of the status of the recommendations and proposals of the Pacific Alliance Business Council (CEAP); and evaluated the progress of the works of the Technical Groups to date.

In other matters, the GAN met with a representative from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), who submitted the report on the situation status of the cooperation provided by that body to the Pacific Alliance Technical Groups.

Lastly, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade of Chile, Andrés Rebolledo, reported on the preparations for the 11th Summit of the Pacific Alliance to be held from June 28 to July 1 in Puerto Varas, Chile.

The Pacific Alliance is a regional integration initiative formed by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru on April 28, 2011. The countries in this initiative combine a population of 216 million and account for 39% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Latin America and the Caribbean.

 Mexico City, June 7, 2016

The Ministers and Vice-Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru will be present at the meetings of the Council of Ministers and the High Level Group of the Pacific Alliance, to be held in Mexico City on 7 and 8 June.

The main objective of these meetings is to progress in the review of the “deliverables” that correspond to the fulfillment of the mandates of the Declaration of Paracas of 2015, as well as in preparing the new mandates, on the road to the XI Summit to be held in Puerto Varas, Chile, next July 1.

The High Level Group (GAN, Grupo de Alto Nivel) will receive reports from the Ministries of Finance on the progress and current status of the work plan 2015-2016, contained in Annex II of the Declaration of Paracas; will be informed of the status of the recommendations and proposals of the Pacific Alliance Business Council (CEAP, Consejo Empresarial de la Alianza del Pacífico); and will evaluate the development of the Technical Groups’ works to date. Also, the GAN will receive a representative from the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) who will present the report on the situation status of the cooperation provided by that body to the Pacific Alliance Technical Groups.

Meanwhile, the Council of Ministers will evaluate the work done by the High Level Group and the Technical Groups in the first half of 2016, analyze the current state of external relationships, decide on requests from States asking to be admitted as Observers to the Pacific Alliance, examine the progress of implementation in regard to the “deliverables” of the Declaration of Paracas and propose new mandates, as well as learn about the preparations for the next XI Summit of the Pacific Alliance.

June 3, 2016

• There were more than 5,000 registrations for the event, including investors, business people, corporate representatives and entrepreneurs, among others.

• Two central themes were developed: information and communication technologies (ICT), and social and business innovation.

• The event was followed via streaming by more than 10,000 users from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, United States and Peru.

The Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru and President of the Board of PromPeru, Magali Silva, reported that the fourth LAB4+, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum of the Pacific Alliance, generated business deals and investments for USD 26 million between business matchmaking events, specialized workshops and technology investment roundtables.

Mrs. Silva also reported that 70 technology exporting companies and 50 innovation buyers attended the business matchmaking. At the same time, a technology investment roundtable – ‘Demo Day’ – was carried out with 24 start-ups and 53 investors, as well as a roundtable for investment on social enterprises – ‘Social Demo Day’ – with 12 social enterprises and 16 investors. These last two events achieved more than 100 business appointments.

“We can say that this new version of the Pacific Alliance’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Forum has been a resounding success. More than 5,000 people were registered, including 60 venture capital investors, 750 businessmen or representatives of corporations and entrepreneurs, 50 delegates from government organizations and public authorities, 20 more from development banks, another 20 from innovation centers and 50 from incubators or university entrepreneurship centers,” explained Silva.

On the other hand, Valentina Venegas, ProChile’s coordinator for the Pacific Alliance, said that “we are very pleased with the large participation of Chilean entrepreneurs and service exporters, who could take advantage of the various prospects offered by this last LAB4+ forum. No doubt it has established itself as an ideal space to generate business, find capital for their ventures, discuss their common challenges and create networks with their peers, considering that Peru, Colombia and Mexico are among the main destinations for our service exports.”

For ProColombia, LAB4+ has become the ideal scenario for the exchange of experiences and knowledge, creating new business opportunities, strengthening and promoting more and better trade relations among the countries that form the Pacific Alliance.

Likewise, Daniela Robles, ProMéxico’s First Secretary in Peru, said that Lab4 + is becoming increasingly important, “given that we are members of the most innovative integration initiative of recent years, in favor of the free movement of goods, services, capital, people and, most importantly, innovation. Together we form a business alliance based on the mutual desire for innovation. This objective allows us to take firm steps in positioning globally the «Made in the Pacific Alliance» design.”

This innovative forum, said Silva Velarde-Álvarez, comprised six key areas where experiences were shared, business deals materialized and, most importantly, the four innovation ecosystems of the Alliance’s member countries were connected. According to the program, ten master class presentations and six thematic panels were given; 12 inspirational keynotes – ‘Lab Talks’; one business matchmaking; a roundtable of technology investments; a roundtable of investment for social enterprises; and eight workshops of high-tech subjects.

Magali Silva also said that “innovation is a fundamental factor in the development of companies. It is directly related to competitiveness, job creation and the economic growth of a country. That is why we have created a brand that seeks to be a reflection of Peru, as a country that promotes, rewards and forms creative minds, and that serves society.”

Therefore, she said, it was essential to start the Forum with the truly masterful presentation of Israeli engineer Uri Levine, creator of Waze, an application for assisted GPS navigation created to reduce the hours that drivers may waste in traffic and that today is used by more than 250 million people worldwide. Levine, with the topic of Global Scale Digital Ventures, captivated the audience by briefly tracing the history of his app’s success, from its origin to its fulfillment.

Immediately after, the panel on Innovative Cities took place, in which a number of Latin American stories were shown, where the experience of Ruta N in Medellin, Colombia; Singapore’s eco-district; and the Fertile Region Project in several towns of northern Chile gave us examples of how technological innovation is associated with social entrepreneurship to create an added value to the citizens’ quality of life.

Other panels discussed the subjects of Social Innovation from the Corporation; Social Innovation in Business and Societies; Innovation in the Pacific Alliance; Boosting the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Latin America; Investment in start-ups; all these had the participation of experts from specialized university centers and representatives from technology innovation companies from the four member countries of the Alliance and Spain.

On the forum’s second day, two master class presentations stood out. The first one, by Adam Gutstein, vice president of PwC: ‘Growth, Strategy and Successful Execution’; and the second, ‘Learning from the Best Innovation Teams in the World’ by Carlos Osorio, faculty fellow at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and professor and director of the Master’s in Innovation program (at Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, in Chile).

Twelve other Lab Talks took place that same day, where an equal number of innovative entrepreneurs in various fields shared their experiences in brief and inspiring presentations on topics such as Internet Challenges in Latin America, or Ending the Water Problem, plus eight intensive workshops on topics of technology, social innovation and investment, that convened more than 600 participants.

According to the World Bank, Pacific Alliance high-tech exports totaled USD 51 billion, which means an annual growth of 4.9% between 2005 and 2014. This amount represents 75% of shipments from Latin America and the Caribbean. It is also necessary to highlight the dynamism showed by foreign sales from Peru and Colombia, which grew 10% and 7.8%, respectively.

The first LAB4+ was held in Santiago de Chile on December 6, 2013 and was aimed at the IT start-ups sector. The second one took place in Cali, Colombia, on 29 and 30 October, focused on the manufacture and technology services sectors, and generated business worth USD 8.4 million. The third one was held in Puebla, Mexico, on 5 and 6 October 2015, and it focused on the sectors of creative, design and technology services industries, generating commercial operations for USD 12 million. The next LAB4+ will be held this following year in Chile.

Lima, June 3, 2016

Representatives from about 150 HEIs from Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, attended the Second Conference of Managers of the Pacific Alliance’s Student and Academic Mobility Platform held in Lima.

The event took place at the University of the Pacific, with the purpose of promoting the exchange of best practices in internationalization and academic mobility in Latin America, as well as strengthening the current ties between institutions based on the mobility of students, faculty and researchers.

According to the focal points, what is sought is to train and improve the skills of managers during the application process of students, researchers and faculty; share experiences among participant HEIs; and create the ideal space for the establishment of networks between the institutions that constitute the Pacific Alliance’s Academic Mobility Platform.

During the event, representatives of the participant HEIs exchanged experiences and proposals for joint solutions to common problems. Most notable among these, were: involving incoming and outgoing students for them to exchange experiences and mutual support; carrying out a proper induction for students who join the Platform for the first time; promote bonding between foreign students and the focal points of the four countries; and foster contact between scholarship holders from Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru with their respective embassies.

In addition, the HEIs joined in the request to increase the number of scholarships available; to give continuity to the annual Conference; and to generate a virtual space where they can share information permanently.

Look at the photos of the event here ➤ http://bit.ly/1RGxV7X

Lima, May 30, 2016

With the purpose of presenting together the most important aspects of the Pacific Alliance and their relevance to Malaysia, the ambassadors of Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Chile’s Chargé d’affaires assigned to that country, organized the forum “Pacific Alliance: Latin America-Malaysia business prospects”, attended by local entrepreneurs and authorities.

During the event, co-organized by the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Malaysia, representatives from the four countries conducted a historical account of the search for the integration processes in the Latin region that led to the creation of the Pacific Alliance; they highlighted the traits that link together the four countries, their operational capabilities and organizational structure.

They also unveiled the statistics that single out the group, its economic growth, sustainability, the focus of its exports, the legal framework that assists investors, market opportunities and production chain; they underlined the joint tendency toward the markets of Asia and Southeast Asia and they presented a summary of the Alliance’s latest developments as well as the initiative’s current and future plans.

At the end of the forum, the representatives of the four countries answered questions from the audience, stressing the advantages of participating in a consolidated integration process with strong economies.

Malaysia, May 30, 2016

As part of the Meetings of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly that took place between 16-18 May in Lisbon, representatives from the embassies of the Pacific Alliance countries in this city participated in the meeting of the Euro-Latin American Women’s Forum, held at the Portuguese parliament building.

During the event, representatives of the four countries highlighted the potential of the Pacific Alliance as to the opportunities offered to women and women’s enterprises, and the work done by this mechanism on the Gender Working Group as a result of the Summit of Paracas 2015.

It should be noted that members of Congress from various countries in Latin America and the European Union participated in the meetings of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly.

May 25, 2016

With the aim of expanding the opportunities to develop skills and competencies in order to improve youth employment and foster a space for expression for the young in Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, the latter held the First Youth Meeting of the Pacific Alliance (PA).

The meeting, organized by the PA and Nestlé, brought together top level representatives from the Ministries of Labor and Education of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, as well as the State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation of the Swiss government, Mauro Dell’Ambrogio, business leaders and delegations of young entrepreneurs and students from the four member countries.

During the meeting the participants had the opportunity to share their experiences, framed by the reality of each of their countries, discussing achievements, progress, difficulties and processes for success in a globalized and endlessly changing world.

Ideas were also exchanged during the event among young people from the four countries, on how to promote employment and entrepreneurship. The topics of discussion included the benefits of a dual professional education to bridge the gap between the skills learned in academia and the demands of the workplace.

More information at ➤ http://bit.ly/1U7eW82

Lima, May 24, 2016

The First Education Forum of the Pacific Alliance (PA) was held in Peru in order to reflect upon the need to join efforts for improving the quality of inclusive education and thus contribute to the productive, competitive and sustainable development of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

More than 500 participants attended the event, including entrepreneurs, educational authorities and industry experts, who listened to the presentations of 40 internationally-renowned speakers and panelists on topics of education and competitiveness, such as Lant Pritchett, Faculty Chair of the MPA/ID Program at Harvard Kennedy School or Mauro Dell’Ambrogio, State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation of the Swiss Government.

The Forum also included presentations from Flavio Figallo, Peru’s Vice-Minister of Educational Management; Natalia Ariza, Colombia’s Vice-Minister of Higher Education; Sergio Contreras, Executive Vice-President of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (COMCE); Javier Elguea, Chancellor of Inttelmex Mexico; and Hernán Araneda, Head of the Center for Innovation in Human Capital of Fundación Chile.

The need for companies to prioritize the growth of their business and of education, by promoting a “new DNA” of human resources for development, was raised during this event. Also was the need for the public-private agenda to be directed toward the implementation of educational systems that meet the needs of the economic sector and possible measures to ease the movement of human talent within the AP, as well as other measures to strengthen secondary school education as a basis to enter into a higher education system or the workplace.

Organization

The First Education Forum of the Pacific Alliance, considered as one of the most important in the region, was organized by the Pacific Alliance Business Council, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru, PromPeru, ADEX, El Comercio newspaper and el Dorado Investments with the support of the National Competitiveness Council and Nestlé, and sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Andean Development Corporation, with the University of the Pacific as academic partner.

Did you miss the First Education Forum of the Pacific Alliance? Watch it all here ➤ http://bit.ly/1TsopwM (mornings); http://bit.ly/1WLhwXD (evenings)

Lima, May 24, 2016

Customs representatives from the countries that comprise the Pacific Alliance –Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru– signed an Action Plan that will enable progress toward a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) of their corresponding Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs. The signatories of the document were: Chile’s National Customs Service, Colombia’s National Directorate of Taxes and Customs (DIAN), Mexico’s Tax Administration Service (SAT), and Peru’s National Customs and Tax Administration Superintendency (SUNAT).

The Action Plan will be developed in four successive stages, namely, a study of the AEO programs, joint validation visits, development of procedures to implement the agreement, and an evaluation of the results.

Once these stages were fully defined and ratified by all parties, the four Pacific Alliance countries prepared a document in which the definitive MRA is expressed, whose preliminary deadline for execution and entry into force was set for December 2017.

The signing of this plan was carried out during the 3rd Global Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Conference, held in Mexico from 11 to 13 May 2016. During this event, the top Customs representatives worldwide -led by Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya of the World Customs Organization (WCO)- assessed the progress and identified the challenges faced by countries in developing their programs.

May 12, 2016

Business people from various areas met on May 3 at the Seminar “The enforcement of the Pacific Alliance Protocol: challenges and benefits for Chile”, an event organized by Chile’s National Chamber of Commerce (CNC) with the participation of authorities from Direcon-ProChile and the Confederation of Production and Commerce (CPC) of that country.

In this context, there was agreement among the participants in pointing out that, besides the tariff relief -in effect since May 1st- cumulation of origin will be one of the most important issues, given that this will not only allow to stimulate the commercial integration between Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, but also the creation of regional value chains. On the other hand, this seeks to further deepen the integration process of the Pacific Alliance, through ties with other markets, particularly the Asia-Pacific market.

“Once the Protocol is enforced, we will decisively support the consolidation of this regional integration initiative to plan its progress, specifically keeping in mind the Asian markets. We will continue to drive these challenges from the pro tempore Presidency of the Pacific Alliance, which will be held by Chile, starting next 1st of July”, said Direcon’s director Andrés Rebolledo during his presentation.

Pablo Urria, DIRECON’s director for Bilateral Economic Affairs, delved into the advantages obtained by Chile in matters of market access. Among other things, he explained that the tax relief programme negotiated in the bilateral agreements entered into with the other three countries shall remain valid, to the extent that the protocol reaches their aperture levels. However, with regard to Mexico, products such as edible oils, milk powder and cheeses will have better conditions within the Pacific Alliance. A similar situation will take place for some products that in Colombia and Peru were subject to price bands but that now will have more opportunities for exportation.

Cumulation of Origin

 During his presentation, ProChile director Roberto Pavia said that, regardless the tariff preferences, one of the Pacific Alliance’s most relevant advantages is that it will allow the cumulation of origin. He explained that unique and simple rules of origin were negotiated, seeking overall both a regional integration and pliability for those cases where consumables are not available among PA members, hoping to encourage regional value chains. On a different subject, the head of ProChile emphasized the close relationship that has been developed among the Pacific Alliance promoting agencies in order to improve integration and identify business options for our business people. “The 4th edition of the Macrorrueda de Negocios (Business Matchmaking) to be held next June in Santiago is an example of it, that will gather more than 600 companies from the four countries, many of them SMEs. It will be the ideal setting to start enjoying the benefits of the coming into effect of the Commercial Protocol, particularly those benefits related to the cumulation of origin”, remarked Pavia.

Lastly, Alberto Salas, president of the Confederation of Production and Commerce (CPC), drew attention to the contribution of the Pacific Alliance Business Council (CEAP), the body that represents the business people from the four countries, made through the proposal of various subjects aimed to further deepen this integration process.

May 5th, 2016