On December 22, Chinese developers and Nicaraguan authorities broke ground on a $50 billion inter-ocean canal that would bisect the country and offer an alternative to the Panama Canal. In an interview with CCTV, COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth discussed the project's aspirations and commented on questions of its feasibility. "There is a lot of skepticism because a lot of the questions that have been asked about a project of this magnitude simply haven’t been answered," Farnsworth said, "But at the same time it does seem, at least initially, to be a serious effort." Farnsworth also spoke about some of the political and economic reasons that the Nicaraguan government might be pursuing the project.

Learn more about the canal development in an AS/COA Online Explainer.

On December 17, President Barack Obama announced that the United States would reestablish diplomatic relations with Cuba, the biggest shift between the two countries in more than five decades. In an interview with CCTV, COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth said the move was potentially a game changer, but noted that comprehensive change would require congressional action. "The president has taken all the steps that could be expected of the executive to be able to take under U.S. law," Farnsworth said, "but there's another aspect to the relationship between the United States and Cuba, which is codified in U.S. law, namely the embargo." Still, Farnsworth explained what changes are likely to result from the historic policy change and analyzed the bigger picture of U.S.-Cuba relations in light of the countries' increased engagement. 

AS/COA's CEO and President Susan Segal spoke with Latin Trade Group about the economic potential of a more integrated Western Hemisphere. She noted that Mexico's recent reforms and workforce demographics are indicators of future growth, which, when partnered with innovation in the United States, are set to make North America "the most competitive region in the world." Segal also spoke of the opportunity present in economic partnerships like the Pacific Alliance, a model that she expects other economies in the region will follow. An example of such partnerships, she noted, can be seen in the shift in the investment landscape, where more Latin American firms are investing in the United States, Spain, and other regional markets. "I think the opportunity is really bright," Segal said. "I think many people underestimate Latin America...and that many people don't think about North America and the power that Canada, the United States, and Mexico will have in terms of global competitiveness."