The Global Economy - Spring 2011 Series
Part II

THE NEW WORLD REDISCOVERED:
THE RISE OF LATIN AMERICA

Luis Alberto Moreno, President, Inter-American Development Bank 

Only two decades ago, Latin America was a continent largely ruled by military regimes, with crumbling infrastructure, widespread social problems, and a weak international presence. Today, despite lingering problems, the countries of the region are mostly democratic, with strong economies and an unquestionably much larger global footprint. The growing economic and political influence of countries such as Brazil and Mexico, the international visibility of Chile, and the recent positive attention given to an increasingly peaceful Colombia are often mentioned as examples of an ascendant Latin America, as is the growing trade and investment role of China and deepening South-South integration with Asia. How did the region manage this transformation? What will Latin America look like in the coming decades? What are the implications of these changes for the U.S. and the world? Join us for part two of our spring 2011 Global Economy Series with Luis Alberto Moreno, as he discusses the sources of this transformation and the policy options available to Latin American and international leaders.

The Global Economy Series is generously supported by HSBC.

Luis Alberto Moreno became president of the Inter-American Development Bank in 2005. Previously, Moreno served as Colombia’s ambassador to the United States for seven years. Prior to this appointment, he served as Andean region representative of WestSphere Capital, and as senior advisor to the Luis Carlos Sarmiento organization. From 1991 to 1994, Moreno held various leadership positions in the government of Colombia, serving as president of the Instituto de Fomento Industria, the Colombian government’s industrial finance corporation, and as minister of economic development. Upon leaving the ministry, he chaired Andrés Pastrana’s presidential campaign. Moreno was formerly executive producer of a news program. Moreno’s writings have appeared in numerous publications, and in 1990, he was awarded a Neiman Fellowship by Harvard University for his distinguished work in the field of journalism. He earned his B.A. from Florida Atlantic University and his M.B.A. from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.