(Bloomberg) — Can Latin America seize the opportunities in front of it stemming from supply chain disruptions, cheap labor and a growing technology industry in order to revert a decade of tepid growth?
That’s one of the key issues being discussed at Bloomberg’s inaugural New Economy Gateway Latin America event being held in Panama City.
After a day that saw hesitation on the speed of adaptation for cryptocurrencies, warnings of growing populism and the potential to leverage relationships with both the US and China, speakers Thursday will address health, food scarcity, clean energy, cities and biodiversity.
US Special Assistant to President Joe Biden and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Juan Gonzalez will kick things off while Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso will speak late morning.
You can follow the agenda here and the event will be streamed on the terminal at LIVE GO and on the web.
Cortizo on crypto law, China trade and growth (7:40 p.m.)
In an interview with Bloomberg’s Stephanie Flanders, Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo said his country is boosting cooperation with the private sector to lure investments and has the pandemic under control which is driving the fastest economic growth in the region.
While both China and the US are key trade partners, the US is most strategic relationship, Cortizo said.
After a pause, trade talks with China will resume soon and Panama will push for more of its agricultural products to be included.
A new crypto law approved in Congress will be reviewed by lawyers and they’ll make a recommendation on whether to approve, partially sanction or reject the legislation, Cortizo said.
In its current form, it wouldn’t be signed, he said, and any new rules will have to guarantee that the country’s fight against money laundering isn’t weakend.
“It is an innovative law from what I have heard, it’s a good law,” he said.
“However, we do have a solid financial system here in Panama and one of the things I’m waiting on is when you have a global regulation of crypto-assets.”
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