The U.S. Department of State, the World Environment Center (WEC), Le Groupe-conseil baastel Itée (Baastel), and RioSlum Studio are proud to announce that the 2019 Annual La Red de Innovación e Impacto Summit is taking place in Panama City on October 22nd and 23rd, 2019. La Red is an international network of innovative organizations supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to drive sustainable economic growth and prosperity across Latin America.
The Summit will provide members with training and capacity building in, among other topics, communication and best management practices as well as networking opportunities with stakeholders and other key representatives from the region. Additionally, key actors from corporate value chains, Ministries, multilateral agencies, and the US Government will be in attendance to discuss growth opportunities in Latin America. Highlighted speakers include:
- Roxanne Cabral, Charge’ de Affairs a.i., U.S. Department of State- U.S. Embassy In Panama
- Isabel Rioja-Scott, Political and Economic Counselor, U.S Department of State- U.S. Embassy in Panama City
- Nelson Larrea, Officer and Technical Advisor, CAF Panama (Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina)
- David Morales, Trade & Agri-Food Systems Officer, FAO for Central America
- Felipe Ariel Rodriguez, President of CECOMRO (Center of Competitiveness of Western Region of Panama)
- Ambassador Carmen Gisela Vergara, Executive Director,PROPANAMA
- Gerardo Escudero, Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) – Panama
Up to 95% of companies in Central America are MSMEs, creating 61% of all jobs in Latin America and the Caribbean. The success of MSMEs and the prosperity of the region are inextricably linked. In order for MSMEs to succeed, they must be empowered with support and incentives to access new markets, adopt sustainable practices, and strengthen workers’ rights.
La Red member organizations provide comprehensive assistance to MSMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean, empowering them to grow and thrive. La Red helps member organizations increase their impact by leveraging their work with financial aid, technical assistance, and expert connections. Through the work of La Red, more than 5,000 MSMEs in Latin America have benefited from technical assistance, of which more than 95% were from Central America. More than 1,800 people have found new or better employment and almost all of them (1,787) were workers in Central America. Also, more than 4,500 farmers have improved their operations as a direct result of the work of member organizations funded by La Red -all of them in Central America.
“Through LA RED´s Annual Summit that will happen soon in Panama, LA RED members, which are organizations that are currently providing innovative solutions to Central American (CA) micro enterprises from the agro, agroindustry and textile sectors, will have a great opportunity to expand their network with key stakeholders that the Summit will gather” states Ernesto Samayoa, WEC Director of Operations for Latin America. He also explains that “with this important event, LA RED members will be able to share their great impacts that they are creating in their countries, and we expect to build a stronger network, where more C.A. micro-businesses can have more opportunities to be part and access international supply chains that are already being developed and strengthened through LA RED´s programs in this region”.
###
About LA RED
The U.S. Department of State has funded the World Environment Center (WEC) and its partners, Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel), and RioSlum Studio, to select organizations that are accelerating business development and promoting sustainable economic growth in Latin America. The Program, La Red de Innovación e Impacto (La Red), was established in 2014 and is a collection of 37 innovative solutions from 11 countries in the region.
