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OAS Opens Dialogue Series on Competitiveness with Exposition on Uruguay

The Organization of American States (OAS) today launched a series of dialogues of the Inter-American Competitiveness Network (RIAC), which seeks to give visibility to the experiences of the countries of the region in promoting competitiveness, with a discussion of the comparative advantages offered by Uruguay.

During the event, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, the Coordinator of the Economic Unit for Policy Implementation of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM) of Uruguay, Mónica Barriola, presented a series of projects related to development and training in areas related to software, electronics, biotechnology and nanotechnology, undertaken as part of an agreement between the Ministry and the Fund for Structural Convergence of MERCOSUR (FOCEM). The programs are carried out with the support of 50 percent by the consortium MIEM-FOCEM, while the rest is contributed by the project holders, representing private companies associated with research institutes.

Barriola explained that the objective of the government subsidy program is "to achieve greater regional integration and complementation, as well as the expansion of markets and increased export specialization based on knowledge, technology and innovation."

Among the programs presented by the representative of MIEM in the field of biotechnology, one aims to develop technical and commercial capabilities for the production and sale of kits for detection of antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi (the parasitic illness known as “Chagas Disease”) at national and regional levels. The Uruguayan official presented another project that electronically controls the system of traffic lights of Montevideo, with the aim of standardizing it for marketing in Chile and other countries in the region. In the area of ​​software she presented the project "Paradise," a computer program for business management in the hotel industry, for the Venezuelan market.

The Director of the Department of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism of the OAS, Maryse Robert, said that in the region "there is consensus and evidence that, for all countries in the Americas, innovation is fundamental to promoting improved economic performance and better living conditions for our people."

Robert mentioned in her speech the Report "Signs of Competitiveness in the Americas 2012" prepared by the OAS, which serves as the Technical Secretariat of the RIAC. "The programs to promote innovation that have been successfully implemented in the countries of the hemisphere, published in the report, are valuable tools to strengthen our capabilities for regional innovation," added Robert, who expressed gratitude for the constant collaboration of the partners of RIAC and the financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency.

Meanwhile, Gina Gómez, Plans and Programs Coordinator of the Presidency of Panama, and who participated in the dialogue on behalf of her country as President pro tempore of the RIAC, said, "this series of dialogues seeks to answer the question, what do countries do to promote competitiveness?" "It is of great interest to know what we are doing, what we can transmit and what we can learn," added the Panamanian representative, whose country will host this year's annual meeting of the RIAC.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-122/13