The Americas Society & Council of the Americas, and the Clinton Global Initiative were held on September 21 through 25 in New York. Julio Ernesto Gutiérrez Conte, president of the Private Sector of the Americas and head of AA2000,has joined these events. Furthermore, he has participated in otherimportant meetings with the major representatives from the region.
Early this week, Gutiérrez had lunch with the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. Then, he had dinner with the President of Uruguay, Ramón Tabaré Vázquez.
From the latter, Julio Ernesto Gutiérrez Conte high lightedthe address by the Uruguayan president before the Council of theAmericas, when he referred to John Negroponte’s project, the so-called“El Ceibal Program.” The initiative seeks to narrow the digital gapamong the neediest sectors by giving teachers and students alike accessto computers at a cost of less than 100 dollars. The program came tolight in Uruguay, and has become a pioneer in Latin America. So far, ithas given access to this tool to more than 350 thousand children andteachers.
“The Uruguayan example is very important. With the introduction of suchtechnology – i.e., access to computers – students are more homogeneous.Besides, it helps reaching high educational and cultural levels,” Gutiérrez Conte said about this promising proposal.”
The executive stated that, “Different projects and initiativesundertaken by technology companies aim at narrowing what is known asthe digital gap. Access to computers shows that technology has becomethe gate to the future.”
As far as these issues are concerned, Julio Ernesto Gutiérrez Conte stressedthat, “Corporate social responsibility plays a critical role, as thecompanies are, all in all, the ones that create, prepare, andstandardize homogeneous programs to introduce new technologies for thefuture. The companies are the ones that will work in every process thefuture may bring.”
Gutiérrez participated in the Clinton Global Initiative Meeting. The Foundation created by former US president Bill Clinton seeks to address global challenges such as climate change, education, energy, global health, and economic empowerment.
The organization is focused on international issues that demandurgent actions, as well as on measurable solutions and results. Someexamples include the AIDS virus in developing countries, children’sobesity, economic opportunities in the United States, and economicgrowth in Africa and Latin America.
Within the framework of this meeting, Gutiérrez Conte participatedin a panel on the discussion of the relationship between the State andprivate businesses. “The participants referred to the closerelationship entailed by corporate responsibility as the pillar foreconomic growth, without leaving aside the intrinsic roles of theState, on the one hand, and of the private sector, on the other. Yet,it is indeed important to have a synergy and move into the samedirection,” he said.
In addition, Julio Ernesto Gutiérrez Conte met with Hunter Biden, the son of the Vice-President of the United States. Then he met with Álvaro Uribe, the president of Colombian, and by the end of the day, he had an important meeting with Ricardo Martinelli, the president of Panama, with whom he agreed on new business opportunities, new investments, and new projects for both Argentina and the entire region.
Within this line of thought, Gutiérrez Conte stressed:“Panama’s treasure today is the extension of the canal, hand in handwith the prospects and the entire process it means for the country, notonly from the viewpoint of its own economy but also from aninternational perspective as well.”
