While all cameras and eyes were focused in the XXVI Ibero-american Summit of Heads of State and Government, which took place at the hotel Santo Domingo Antigua (Guatemala) on 15 and 16 November, a few kilometers was happening, another meeting was not less momentous. More than 700 entrepreneurs, representatives of the highest level of numerous economic sectors and countries, congregated in the business meeting to seal their commitment with the sustainable and inclusive development in Ibero-america. A will that was embodied in the document of conclusions and recommendations, which several paragraphs were incorporated into the Declaration of Guatemala signed by our leaders, a day after. A fact that perhaps might go unnoticed, but whose importance to the watchful eye doesn’t miss.
For beyond the success of the call, beyond the social and environmental commitment, beyond the look at the future of each one of the panels, the involvement of king Felipe VI, five presidents and one vice-president, this business meeting has represented a very important advance in the consensus of our region. For the first time, the business sector and institutions of Latin america agreed, explicitly, to work with the same roadmap: Agenda 2030. An agreement that is not left alone in what we should do, but proposed in concrete lines of action for the how, together, we can move forward and answer the call of the Sustainable Development Goals. Some goals that require us to grow by 5%-6%, and that depend on a collective effort huge part of all sectors of society.
The men and women of business of Ibero-america is committed to a re-reality the Agenda to 2030, through an agreement that has four big implications for our region.
First: it reaffirmed the principle that prosperity is interdependent with the inclusion and sustainability; the fact that no enterprise is sustainable if it does not incorporates and reflects their society; that having a business ecosystem healthy means having best sme, the more people with access to credit, more diversity, more economic empowerment of women, more youth involved, and less informality.
No undertaking is sustainable or healthy if you do not incorporates and reflects to their society
Second: it took on the urgency of preparing our businesses for the economy of the future, betting on the digital economy, start-up, intra-regional trade, innovation, educate, and uncover the talent of our citizens and the investment in infrastructure and logistics.
Third: it stressed the idea that politics matter. That for our business to prosper it is necessary that the institutions work; to advocate for a macro-economy stable, to respect the rules of the game, to be more transparent, to facilitate the creation of companies and to fight against corruption to regain the trust of the citizenship.
And fourth: put in value something as an american we should feel proud, our model of integration. An integration of bottom-up that deepens and builds the people, economic agents, the value chains, the mobilities; that elevates consensus and not decrees from above. An integration that goes hand in hand with other processes that are also happening, such as the Pacific Alliance and its convergence with Mercosur, the integration of entrepreneurship in central america and the draft treaty with the EU.
The Agenda 2030 has ensured that Latin america would transcend a vision manichaean or dichotomous between public and private sector. Has made us to run up to a paradigm in which all countries will matter to have an active citizenship, and purposeful and in which employers feel that a policy is stable and transparent, together with a society that can once again trust in common projects, are requirements for achieving prosperity. Sometimes the story is written this way: between the lines. In simple but meaningful acts of consensus. In a handshake that symbolizes a mutual dependence, a shared responsibility. In a final signature that has a vision of the future and is concerned about the needs of the people.
So we are in Latin america. We draw from the consensus of a region as diverse as ours. Our strength is the breadth of our integration. An integration Agenda 2030, in its immense potential to foster partnerships, as is enriching in force and effectiveness.
Rebeca Grynspan secretary-general ibero-american.
