gE Blog Series: Competitiveness Part 2 - Americas Competitiveness Forum

Author: Sarah Vogel

Published:

The fourth annual Americas Competitiveness Forum is happening right now in Atlanta, Georgia. Representatives from countries all over the Americas will be there to give updates about their country and region and brainstorm improvements for export collaboration across borders. This event has over 1,000 participants including government officials, educators, trade experts, and business leaders and is the foremost economic and commercial event in the Western hemisphere. Its main focus is on the competitiveness of companies within the region and trade facilitation and border clearance. There are numerous of different topics that will be discussed but the four main themes of the conference are:

  1. Innovation and green technologies
  2. Education and workforce development
  3. Entrepreneurship and small business development
  4. Trade facilitation, border clearance and supply chain logistics

Panels will break out and talk about some more specific aspects of each of these themes. For example, one of the Supply Chain focused groups will discuss how to keep the connections fast, and how to begin ensuring stability and security of the supply chain especially when multiple countries are involved. Another supply chain panel will focus on the fresh delivery of food within complex supply chains. Government officials from each country will also be there to share the priorities of their country, and the opportunities for trade that they can provide. This includes education, innovation, and infrastructure goals that each country has and could open others eyes to waiting opportunities.

Renewable energy is a hot topic, not only in the Americas but around the world, so it makes sense that it will also be the focus of one of the ACF Forums. Along with that, the global marketplace, the competitive landscape, and democracy’s role in the creation of open markets along with several other topics will also be discussed. It is hoped that this conference will spur new ideas for collaboration and create a better environment for trade and investments being made in countries across the Americas.