The king Philip VI from Spain chaired a meeting today with 23 presidents of CEIB-OIE business organizations, in an act in which the Ibero-American secretary general also spoke, Rebeca Grynspan; the Spanish Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto; the president of the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), Antonio Garamendi; the President of the International Organization of Employers (OIE), Erol Kiresepi, and the president of the Ibero-American Business Council (CEIB) and the Andorran Business Confederation (CEA), Gerard Cadena.
The meeting "More Iberoamerica, our common company”, In which the King, Grynspan, Garamendi and Maroto met face-to-face at the headquarters of the CEOE and the rest of the participants connected electronically, aimed to strengthen and support the business fabric of Latin America and listen to their insight on the new challenges that the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has been raised in the region.
It was the first meeting – and the highest level – held by Ibero-American business authorities and organizations since the start of the crisis. During the meeting, the bosses' presidents analyzed the priorities of the companies to emerge stronger after the crisis and the role that their organizations are fulfilling in the common objective of reinforcing and promoting Ibero-America, especially in these difficult times.
The leaders agreed that it is time to join forces and undertake a crusade for investment promoted from the highest level to get out of the crisis.
The king stressed that “We need a more united Ibero-America, with greater ambition; an Ibero-America much more aware of its links and opportunities as one of the great regions of the future and we should achieving, with the commitment of all, a more prosperous and cohesive Ibero-American Space, more innovative, and more sustainable and inclusive ”. He also took the opportunity to send a message full of encouragement to Ibero-American businessmen, who are living with effort and integrity the current circumstances.
For her part, the Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynspan, stressed the importance of "committed leadership and social dialogue ” in these difficult times and called for "a new social pact that serves not only to get out of this crisis, but also to enter a more promising, just and resilient future ”.
During his speech, Antonio Garamendi, CEOE president, thanked the King for his presence at the meeting: "It shows the strong support for the strategic relationship between our countries and their companies, always helping to build bridges between economies and cultures ”.
In turn, the President of the OIE, Erol Kiresepihighlighted “The role that the OIE and its member organizations in Latin America have played since the beginning of the crisis to mitigate the social and economic effects; develop safe and effective return-to-work strategies and an inclusive and sustainable economic recovery. ”
Finally, the president of the CEA, Gerard Cadena, assured that "cooperation, open innovation and the entire multilateral architecture must be reinforced; in other words, Latin America must come out reinforced ”.
The presidents of the CEIB-OIE member business organizations from Andorra (CEA), Gerard Cadena; Argentina (UIA), Daniel Funes de Rioja; Bolivia (CEPB), Luis Fernando Barbery; Chile (CPC), Juan Sutil; Colombia (ANDI), Bruce Mac Master; Costa Rica (UCCAEP), Álvaro Sáenz; Ecuador (CIG and CIP), Caterina Costa and Pablo Zambrano; The Savior (ANEP), Javier Ernesto Siman; Spain (CEOE), Antonio Garamendi; Guatemala (CACIF), Nils Leporowski; Honduras (COHEP), Juan Carlos Sakaffi; Mexico (COPARMEX and CONCAMIN), Gustavo de Hoyos and Francisco Cervantes; Nicaragua (COSEP), José Adán; Panama (CONEP), Julio de Lastra; Paraguay (FEPRINCO), Gustavo Volpe; Peru (CONFIEP), María Isabel León de Céspedes; Portugal (CIP), Antonio Saraiva; Dominican Republic (COPARDOM), Juan Alfredo de la Cruz; Uruguay (CNCS and CIU), Julio Lestido and Gabriel Murara, and Venezuela (FEDECÁMARAS), Ricardo Cusanno.
