ATLANTA—U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin formally handed over next year’s Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF) to Chilean Minister of Economy, Development & Reconstruction Hugo Lavados, who will host the forum in Chile in the Fall of 2009. Atlanta has agreed to host the forum in 2010.
“We are excited to announce that Chile will host the next Americas Competitiveness Forum,” Gutierrez said. “Over the past two days we have explored free-market policies and strategies to promote investment, innovation and growth throughout the Western Hemisphere.
“The future of competitiveness in the Americas depends upon a shared commitment to openness and democracy embodied by our dialogue in Atlanta. This ongoing discussion brings key public- and private-sector leaders together to discuss ways to improve our competitiveness in the global marketplace.” ACF 2008 was attended by more than 900 participants representing 29 of the 34 democratically elected governments in the Western Hemisphere, including three presidents, a vice president and more than 50 foreign government officials. Notable accomplishments of the forum include:
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
