Peru expects thousands of visitors in conjunction with hosting the 2008 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. On February 11 and 12, AS/COA held programs in Washington, DC and New York to discuss Peru's economic growth and outlook, the economic opportunities for business in Peru, and the growing importance of APEC in the world.

Colombia's private sector has a long history of focusing on social and economic development. COA hosted a several prominent leaders from large Colombian companies to discuss the role of corporate social responsibility and the importance of the pending U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement for enhancing institutional development in Colombia.

Foreign policy and business experts joined Michael Reid, Americas editor of The Economist and author of Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America´s Soul, to analyze his authoritative account of the battles for democracy and economic stability since the 1982 debt crises.

During a recent AS/COA panel, experts from multilateral organizations and the private sector offered their views on opportunities for infrastructure development in Latin America, focusing on project financing, public-private partnerships, and regional integration and competitiveness.

During the North American launch of the Vance Center's Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas and the introduction of the Spanish edition of AS/COA's Rule of Law Report, speakers discussed prospects and challenges to judicial reform and to cultivating a culture of pro bono work in Latin America.

Immigration experts joined Jorge Castañeda, Mexico's former secretary of foreign affairs, to discuss his new book Ex Mex: From Migrants to Immigrants, and the challenges facing immigration reform in the United States.

At the 7th Annual Latin America Conference, AS/COA hosted former Presidents José Sarney of Brazil and Alejandro Toledo of of Peru. The event also featured panels on social development in the Americas and a second on Venezuela's referendum on constitutional reform.