*The IV International Economic Forum will take place on Friday 25 May in Paris...*

Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries have shown themselves to be in a better position to confront international turmoil than ever before during recent global financial crises. Sustained growth and democratic stability have strengthened the region, and led to less pronounced recessions and more swift recoveries than in many OECD economies. Despite this positive outlook and encouraging policy experience, many challenges remain:

• One in three Latin Americans still lives below the poverty line and many Latin American economies still rank among the most unequal economies in the world
• Excessive inequality slows down the pace of economic growth and undermines the development process itself
• Growth and competitiveness are constrained by low productivity, poor infrastructures, and the lack of economic diversification

The fourth edition of the International Economic Forum on Latin America and the Caribbean provides the opportunity to discuss these challenges and to share solutions for sustainable economic development in the region. Namely, the Forum will ask how the region can engage reforms in favour of competitiveness, productivity and inclusive growth, and embrace the full potential of its newly acquired strength and stability.

Since 2009, the Forum has been co-organised by the Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry. 

2012 Forum plenary sessions will be structured into three discussion panels and will be opened and closed with a high-level key-note speech. For more information on the sessions, please visit the Program page.  Twitter hashtag : #LACForum

http://www.latameconomicforum.org/about-us.html

Bien à vous,

@Morgane BRAVO

http://twitter.com/#!/MorganeBravo
https://twitter.com/#!/EcologieI