The Pacific Alliance: Seizing business opportunities in the Americas

Other Panellists Include:

Join us on November 17, 2014 when The Vancouver Board of Trade hosts Ambassadors from the four Pacific Alliance countries.

The Pacific Alliance, formed by Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru, is a regional integration scheme that builds upon free trade agreements among all four members, and seeks clear economic integration objectives such as free circulation of goods, services, capital and persons.

Pacific Alliance member countries account for 36% of total GDP in Latin America, 50% of total Latin American trade, and over 40% of total foreign direct investment flows into the region. In addition to promoting economic growth, competitiveness, innovation and widespread prosperity among its members, it has become a powerful platform for cooperation and coordination.

Since its inception in 2011, over 30 countries have been accepted as observers, including major global economies such as Canada, Germany, Japan and the United States. During the IX Pacific Alliance summit that took place in Punta Mita, Mexico, last June, the Presidents of Peru, Mexico, Chile and Colombia confirmed their determination to promote an open regionalism.

"For Western Canada, the Pacific Alliance is an important market in which companies could have privileged access for establishing regional supply chains to trade with Asia and for natural resource development. For small and mid-sized companies, the Pacific Alliance offers a sophisticated and lower-risk entry point for expanding abroad." Carlo Dade, Director, Center for Trade and Investment Policy, Canada West Foundation.

Who should attend?

• Companies that want to break into Pacific Alliance markets (Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Peru).
• Companies in the following sectors will be particularly interested:
  • Construction and infrastructure, Energy (electricity, oil, natural gas)
  • Mines and metals
  • Green technologies (in particular environmental and waste and wastewater treatment infrastructures)
  • Information technology and telecommunications
  • Electronics
  • Food processing
  • Medical equipment
  • Chemicals
  • Forest products (timber, pulp and paper)
  • Manufacturing
  • Fashion and cosmetics
  • Aerospace
  • Tourism and Education