PANAMA CITY, Panama, CMC – The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) Thursday said that the two-day Latin America and the Caribbean Business Matchmaking Forum held here late last month had generated US$ 72.2 million in commercial expectations.
The forum connects regional firms with international partners to boost trade in agribusiness, manufacturing, and technology. It had been organised by CAF alongside the International Economic Forum, bringing together thousands of delegates to enhance regional integration and economic growth.
CAF said that of the funds generated at the forum, US$2.6 million corresponded to deals closed during the event itself and that “this marked the first business matchmaking roundtable exclusively among countries of Latin America and the Caribbean”.
The forum, held between January 29-30, brought together, for the first time, 149 buyers from 34 countries and nearly 270 exporters from 20 countries.
Private sector representatives from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Curaçao participated in the event alongside other participating markets such as the United States, Germany, Canada, Spain, Italy, Japan, South Korea, India, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay, Bolivia, among others.
“The success of this business matchmaking forum demonstrates that Latin America and the Caribbean have a competitive export offering with the capacity to integrate into global markets. This space has become one of the region’s main platforms for business connection, generating new commercial opportunities and strengthening productive value chains,” said CAF’s executive president, Sergio Díaz-Granados.
CAF said, according to the consolidated results reported by buyers, it is projected that US$ 9.1 million in business deals will be concluded over the next three months; US$20.6 million within a three to six-month period; and an additional US$21.6 million thereafter.
“These projections underscore the strong potential for commercial linkages generated during the event,” CAF said, adding that the sectors that recorded the highest level of engagement were agri-food, manufacturing, fashion, and services, reflecting the diversity and sophistication of the region’s export offering.
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