The Presidents of the member countries of the Pacific Alliance met yesterday in New York to highlight the strength of their economies and the opportunities in trade and investment.
The event organized by the Financial Times and the Business Council of the Pacific Alliance, had among his assistants to CEOs, managers, entrepreneurs and investors interested in the Pacific Alliance.
After greeting the Executive Director of Citigroup, Michael Corbat, the President of Peru Ollanta Humala, current president pro tempore of the mechanism, said a few words of welcome which highlighted the commitment of the countries of the Pacific Alliance in the defense of the free market and the provision, a climate of legal, political and social stability to investors.
In the case of Colombia, President Juan Manuel Santos reaffirmed the commitment of the Pacific Alliance to economic growth, trade and foreign direct investment. He added that the countries of the mechanism, shared principles such as fiscal stability and clear positions on foreign investment.
President Ollanta Humala stressed the homogeneity of the economies of the four countries, which continue consolidating despite the subdued economic performance expected in Latin America. Besides betting on the free movement of capital, services and people, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru are more than 41% of foreign direct investment in Latin America said the Peruvian president.
For his part, Enrique Peña Nieto, president of Mexico said that against this current scenario of volatility and fragility, the countries of the Alliance seek to generate confidence to consolidate growth. He also recalled that the four countries have the determination to move in this bold and innovative initiative that is displayed as one of the best tools to face the adverse scenario of the global economy.
Chilean President Michele Bachelet agreed with the principles outlined by their counterparts and stressed the need for social policies together with measures of healthy economic balance. On the other hand, he stressed that the Alliance countries have a high percentage of free trade agreements, however, stressed the desirability of further progress in developing intraregional trade.
The roundtable discussion was moderated by John Paul Rathbone, editor of the Financial Times and had the closing words of Andreas Von Wedemeyer, President of the Business Council of the Pacific Alliance, a body composed of employers and representative unions of the four countries.