Uruguay: Innovation and Social Development

Speakers:

• José Mujica, President, Republic of Uruguay
• Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State
• Tabaré Aguerre, Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Republic of Uruguay
• Luis Almagro, Minister of Foreign Relations, Republic of Uruguay
• Fernando Lorenzo, Minister of the Economy and Finance, Republic of Uruguay
• David Nelson, U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay
• Miguel Brechner, President, Centre for Technology and Social Inclusion (CITS) (view presentation)
• Pedro N. Baridon, CIAC Member, Americas Society/Council of the Americas
• Gonzalo Casaravilla, President, UTE (view presentation)
• Pablo de Salterain, President, Telefónica Móviles del Uruguay
• Alberto Nieto, Professor and Director of the Pando Technologic Pole, Universidad de la República (view presentation)
• Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society and Council of the Americas
• Raúl Sendic, President, ANCAP (view presentation)
• Daniel Varese, President, Chamber of Commerce Uruguay – USA
• Sandra Yachelini, President for Argentina and Uruguay, Microsoft Latin America (view presentation)

Summary

Americas Society and Council of the Americas organized its fourth conference in Montevideo in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce Uruguay-USA. Speakers highlighted the role of innovation in the country’s social and economic development. Panelists also focused on Uruguay’s role in energy development, natural resources, education, and telecommunications.

Welcome Remarks: Latin America’s Resilience

To start, AS/COA President & CEO Susan Segal explained the resilience of emerging markets during the financial crisis compared with those of developed countries. She also noted that some Wall Street analysts have professed that Uruguay should be able to reach investment grade satisfactorily. As a result, a significant increase of capital inflow investments, whether direct or financial, will enter to the country. During her speech, she showed that Uruguay has become a center for innovation, entrepreneurship, and social development in Latin America. The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Uruguay–USA Daniel Varese followed up on her comments by emphasizing that innovation and social development are tightly linked, and that it must be a common responsibility to make them accessible to all layers of society.

Minister of Economy and Finance Fernando Lorenzo affirmed that U.S.-Uruguayan relations were already strengthened during the tenure of former President Tabaré Vázquez. He also pointed out the transformational role of innovation, not only at the institutional level, but also in terms of the wellbeing of a country’s citizens. He touched on the relationship between innovation, productivity, and competitiveness, saying Uruguay has leveraged this relationship to access international markets. Specifically, he referred to the importance of investments in productive processes that employ natural resources; he added that natural resources are a major engine of growth for Uruguay. Consequently, he warned about its preservation as well.

Innovation in Oil, Natural Resources, and Wind Power

ANCAP President Raul Sendic, gave an overview of ways his firm makes use of natural resources in order to lower energy costs and become more eco-friendly. In his opinion, biotechnology, scientific research, production, refining, logistics, and distribution are the backbone of innovation, development, and social integration. UTE President Gonzalo Casaravilla, who focused on wind power, agreed with Sendic that increased use of alternative energies is a top objective to reduce costs, vulnerability, and external dependency. Moreover, the generation of sustainable energy and the use of Forecast and Simulation-and-Business models play a central role in their plan.

Uruguay’s Role in Education and Technology

CITS President Miguel Brechner opened a panel that gave an overview of how Plan Ceibal joins technological development and education. He voiced the assertion that this is extremely important for Uruguay, because it has not only technological, but also educational and social impact. For the President of Telefonica Moviles del Uruguay Pablo de Salterain telecommunications are reaching peak importance, so it is impossible for a country to be competitive without a strong network. For him, Uruguay has it.

Director of the Pando Technologic Pole Alberto Nieto talked about the necessity for generating worthwhile knowledge and putting it to use. In order to merge innovation with education a complete strategy is needed. This requires a focus on sustainability in scientific-technological research and building modern and socially responsible business. President for Argentina and Uruguay of Microsoft Latin America Sandra Yachelini brought to the debate the Technology Innovation Centers saying that they have a positive impact on Uruguay’s GDP.

Minister of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries Tabaré Aguerre closed the session saying that you can have economic growth with innovation, but it takes more than that to translate it into social development.

Last but not Least: Telecommunications, Science Diplomacy, and Social Inclusion

The conference’s closing session featured remarks by the U.S. State Department’s Judith A. Mchale, who said the State Department is always seeking improved methods of communication. She described “science diplomacy” as a means for international exchange in solving scientific and technological problems. “The more we work together, we learn more from each other resulting in a more peaceful and prosperous future,” she said. To conclude her speech, she emphasized that the focus must be on young people because “they are the future leaders of the world.”

Foreign Relations Minister Luis Almagro focused in the importance of education in improving the productivity of the country. A better use of human resources and a boost for higher education were the goals proposed. He said that for Uruguay to play a stronger role on the international stage depends on the attitude and ability to seize the opportunities in international markets. Strong social inclusion, with education and with an adequately paid labor force is required to achieve those goals. The minister said the country’s economic model should be based on education, social inclusion and innovative development.

“Innovation is part of mankind and is constant in human nature.”

Finally, President of Uruguay José Mujica referred to innovation as an engine of progress. “Innovation is part of mankind and is constant in human nature,” he argued. A unique characteristic of the markets is to encourage teaching of innovation techniques to apply them into development. According to Mujica, one type of innovation allows for the creation of new products and markets while another allows for greater efficiency to improve human life. Mujica said that innovation in biology and biotechnology should be a regional focus. However, Natural resources must be preserved, he warned. For that, he said, we need scientific innovation.