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2025 WCA: Ilan Goldfajn on the Americas' Strategic Priorities

At the 55th Washington Conference, the IDB president highlighted infrastructure needs, market potential, and critical mineral priorities in the region.

Speakers

  • Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas
  • Kevin Sullivan, Vice President, Washington Office, Americas Society/Council of the Americas
  • Ilan Goldfajn, President, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

In a conversation closing the 55th Washington Conference on the Americas series of meetings, Ilan Goldfajn highlighted the work of the IDB as a bridge to connect the Western Hemisphere and support private-sector-led economic growth in the region, with the Bank financing projects and having a presence on the ground across 26 borrowing countries. Goldfajn talked about Latin America's potential in the mining sector and how the region can develop ways to process critical minerals without Chinese assistance.  In a conversation with AS/COA's Susan Segal, he emphasized how the bank is working to support resilience and regional value chains.

Opening the segment, COA's new Vice President of the Washington office Kevin Sullivan covered how the Trump administration has made Latin America a top foreign policy priority. 

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