As an opening speaker at the 2008 Latin American Cities Conference in São Paulo, AS/COA President Susan Segal highlighted Brazil's increasing importance worldwide, comparing it with Asian giants and emphasizing its role in promoting global trade talks.

Henrique Meirelles, Presidente do Banco Central do Brasil, fez um pronunciamentio na conferência e anual do Americas Society e Council of the Americas realizada em São Paulo no dia 10 de julho. O presidente exaltou importância do banco em controlar a inflacão neste período de intensa volatilidade global.

Speaking at AS/COA’s annual Bogotá conference, Vice President Francisco Santos linked the dramatic reduction in Colombian violence with its current economic dynamism.

Durante la décimo-segunda conferencia: Colombia a los ojos de Wall Street de AS/COA en Bogota, la presidenta de AS/COA Sugan Segal enfocó su presentación en el crecimiento economico de Colombia durante los ultimos años. También habló sobre la posibilidad de un tratado de libre comercio (TLC) entre los Estados Unidos y Colombia.

Speaking at AS/COA’s annual Bogotá conference, Colombian Trade Minister Luis Guillermo Plata outlined his country’s progress in economic growth since President Álvaro Uribe came into office. Plata outlined strategies to boost economic liberalization.

With global commodity prices on the rise, many Latin American countries face soaring inflation. Yet experts suggest the region's economies are more well-girded than in the past to handle economic crises. The IMF's director discussed inflation at COA’s 38th Annual Washington Conference.

With tensions running high between some Andean countries, AS/COA convened a roundtable on economic, political, and security issues affecting the region. The discussion included a keynote speech by Ecuador's Minister of the Government and Police Fernando Bustamante.