XX Annual CAF Conference: Biden calls for the U.S.’ continued commitment to Latin America

The 20 th anniversary of the Annual CAF Conference opened on Wednesday with a call from US Vice President Joe Biden for the US to continue its commitment toward Latin America in order for the region to achieve its full potential and make the Western Hemisphere "the world's most relevant hemisphere."

"We cannot build walls to protect us from problems that know no borders," he said. The audience erupted in applause.

The region's crucial political and economic year, the US presidential elections, their potential impact in inter-American relations, and citizens' demands manifested in various electoral processes were central issues at the conference's first day, which takes place in Washington, D.C., and which will continue tomorrow.

More than 1,400 people, including important political leaders, high-ranking public officials from international organizations, academics, businesspeople, analysts and renown journalists attended the Willard Hotel, where the conference-organized annually by CAF - Development Bank of Latin America together with Inter-American Dialogue and the Organization of American States (OAS)-is being held.

In the event's inauguration, the executive president of CAF, Enrique Garcia, went over the evolution of the conferences and highlighted the special feeling that this year's edition has for being the 20^th, and highlighted Vice President Biden's attendance.

"It's been 20 intense years of conferences. At the beginning it was a small forum for reflection, and now we have the honor of Vice President Biden's presence among us. This transformation coincides with CAF's evolution and growth. This is a very special occasion," said Garcia, who inaugurated the conference together with Michael Shifter, president of Inter-American Dialogue.

On his part, Shifter highlighted the importance of the event's agenda. "It's a program that discusses the challenges of the future. We're happy to be able to contribute to having a collaborative spirit in hemispheric relations," he affirmed. 

Biden, the event's special guest, gave the conference's opening speech and highlighted Garcia's work as leader of CAF during the last 25 years-a period, he said, that was extraordinarily positive for the region.

"We find ourselves at the dawn of a new era in the hemisphere. Today our relations are more solid than ever, but we know that it takes commitment on everybody's part to continue this way," he stated. "For the first time, it's possible to conceive of the hemisphere as a region with a significant middle class, with solid democracy and security."

He expressed optimism regarding the region's future but said that there are still challenges, among which he highlighted those of achieving continued growth while abiding by the rule of law and without corruption, and ensuring energy security in all countries.

In a year marked by the hemisphere's changing political scene and an dynamic international economic context, the first panel at the conference took up the task of analyzing and assessing the evolution of hemispheric relations and regional integration in light of the 20 years of CAF Conferences in Washington, as well as future perspectives.

Regarding this point, ex-president of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the United States Department of State Thomas Shannon and former Secretaries of Defense Nelson Jobim (Brazil), Marta Lucia Ramirez (Colombia) and Allan Wagner (Peru), as well as Felix Peña, director of the Institute for International Trade, all shared their points of view. The table was moderated by renown journalist Patricia Janiot from CNN en Español.

The event will continue with various panels addressing Latin America's social and economic situation. Academics, renown political analysts and influential journalists will discuss the region's changing political context, marked in various countries by the success of political actors that are radically different from those of recent years.

The demands of Latin American citizens made clear through voting in the last year's various electoral processes, as well as the challenge of governments to respond will be central themes of the panel in which the academics Alberto Vergara (Peru), Matias Spektor (Brazil), Adrian Bonilla (Ecuador), venezuelan analyst Luis Vicente Leon and argentine political analyst and journalist Carlos Pagni will participate.

The first day of this special conference will conclude with a discussion on the possible impact of the US presidential election-to take place on November 8-on relations with Latin America.

The debate will be moderated by CNN en Español's journalist Juan Carlos Lopez, and will include the perspectives of Shannon O'Neil, who is International Relations advisor to US democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Roger Noriega, former US Secretary of State for Latin America, as well former Chancellor of Bolivia Gustavo Fernandez and Marc Bassets, Washington correspondent for the spanish newspaperEl País.

The event will continue tomorrow with panels that address the challenges faced by Latin America to achieve full development, outlooks for Cuba following the normalization of relations with the US, challenges to peace in Colombia and gastronomy as an agent for social transformation in the region.

In addition, financial experts reflect on global governance and reforms in international financial architecture, as well as innovative instruments for financing infrastructure in Latin America. The event will conclude with a session on the region's future in light of the vision held by the new Latin American leaders.

The conference can be followed live by streaming at the website www.caf.com/xx-conferencia-caf, where visitors can also view a summary of the panels held today.