Round-Table: Business Opportunities between Central America and Luxembourg

The Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in close cooperation with the Embassy of Costa Rica and Euracen - the Chamber of Commerce between Europe and Central America will organise a round-table about Central America with a focus on Costa Rica on Monday 6th of February 2017, on the occasion of the visit of H.E. Alexander Mora, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica in Luxembourg.

The main purpose of this seminar is to let you discover the potential of Central America, and more specifically Costa Rica, that has the presidency pro tempore of the Secretaría de Integración Económica Centroamericana (SIECA).

Central America connects North and South America and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea (there is no area in Central America more than 200 kilometers away from the ocean). The Panama Canal, built between 1904 and 1914 is the only waterway to link the two oceans. Central America represents 7 countries in total: Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, which are committed to a regional integration process since 40 years. Although the process remains incomplete, there is an internal common market, including 5 countries and several regulation and governance bodies that were created one regional level, among them, the SIECA.

Since 2010, Central American countries have undergone a growth trend but with different development levels. Political, social and geostrategic factors are at the origin of these differences. With an estimated population of 42 million, the size of the Central American market is equivalent to that of Colombia. The region offers many opportunities in various sectors as e.g. infrastructure and transport, renewable energies, pharma industry, agro-industry, tourism, etc. In 2013, the Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America also entered into force, which opens up major prospects for further economic development between the 2 regions.

The round-table, open to all sectors, will include a keynote speech by H.E. Alexander Mora, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, a presentation of the business opportunities in Central America and of the activities of Euracen, a presentation of the SIECA where Costa Rica runs the presidency until June 2017. In addition, a company already active in the region will bring its testimonial. The round table discussion aims at informing interested companies about the economic landscape in Central America and business opportunities between Luxembourg and Central America, providing the audience with the opportunity to present their potential for the this market.