For the fourth consecutive year, the Americas Society and Council of the Americas (AS/COA) brought together leading public and private sector representatives to analyze Brazil’s economic prospects.

Consolidation of recent economic growth, innovation and development are some of the key issues for Argentina in the next few years. Bringing together over 400 senior-level attendees, the AS/COA annual Cities Conference in Argentina focused on recent economic successes and future challenges for sustaining competitiveness.

Over 300 private sector representatives and government officials gathered in El Salvador to analyze growth prospects and the new opportunities created by DR-CAFTA at the first AS/COA Latin American Cities Conference in Central America.

Providing a forum to connect government officials and private sector leaders, AS/COA held our first Latin American Cities Conference in La Paz, Bolivia. The conference examined the country’s investment climate and discussed the importance of investment for Bolivia’s development and sustained economic growth.

The Colombian economy is strong and its capital market is reasonably well-valued, according to speakers at the AS/COA 2007 Latin American Cities Conference in Bogota. Our 11th Colombian conference convened over 900 private sector representatives and decision makers.

Government officials from South Korea, China, and Peru, along with private sector experts and others, offered first-hand insight into current and future areas of inter-regional cooperation. Asia-Latin America free trade is on the rise as Peru prepares to host the 2008 APEC annual summit.

The success of microfinance has prompted commercial banks to view low-income client loans as smart business. Speakers at our roundtable discussion outlined potential challenges and possible solutions to ensuring the sustainability of Latin America’s microfinance boom.