English
The Center for International Strategic Analyses-KEDISA co-organized with the Embassies of the Pacific Alliance (Chile,Colombia,Mexico,Peru) in Greece, with great success, a closed event titled: “Greece an Observer country in the Pacific Alliance: New way of cooperation between Greece and Latin America”. The event was held on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at the hospitable facilities of IST College on Syggrou Avenue, 68 in Athens.
Greetings and introductory speeches were made by the Founder & President of KEDISA Mr. Andreas G. Banoutsos and IST College Managing Director Mr. Yannis Minadakis. Speakers at the event were the Ambassador of Mexico to Greece, Mr. Daniel Hernandez, the Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta, the General Consul of Peru in Greece, Mr. Edgar Alvarado Salamanca, and the Commercial Attache of the Chilean Embassy in the United Kingdom and Member of his country’s negotiating team in the “Pacific Alliance”, Mr. Ignacio Fernandez.
The event was attended by ambassadors and foreign mission officials in Greece, diplomats of the Greek Foreign Ministry, retired generals, representatives of Greek and foreign think tanks, businessmen as well as Analysts and Junior Analysts of KEDISA.
The Founder & President of KEDISA Mr. Andreas G. Banoutsos during his opening speech after he warmly thanked the Ambassadors of the countries of the “Pacific Alliance” in Greece for the honorary proposal they made to KEDISA for the co-organization of the closed event, informed the audience that the “Pacific Alliance” is an initiative of Latin American countries (Chile,Colombia,Mexico,Peru) aimed at regional integration and the free movement of goods, services, people and capital. This important initiative is a little known to Greek public opinion despite the fact that Greece has gained observer status in the “Pacific Alliance” along with 54 other states. He continued by saying that Greece should use its capacity as a “Pacific Alliance” observer country in seeking to broaden its economic relations with the dynamic economies of the founding countries of the Alliance.
IST College’s Managing Director Mr. Yannis Minadakis, after welcoming the speakers and participants at IST College’s hospitable and high aesthetic facilities, said that the “Pacific Alliance” opens up a first-class opportunity for Greece to strengthen its trade, cultural and educational relations with the fastest growing economies of Latin America.
The Chilean Ambassador to Greece Mme Pia Busta in her speech said that the Pacific Alliance is a regional integration project between countries that share common values and a vision for the future. A future based on the free movement of goods, persons and services. Her Excellency pointed out that the founding member states of the Pacific Alliance (Chile,Colombia, Mexico,Peru) are the most open economies in Latin America that adopt friendly policies for foreign investment and multinational enterprises and place great emphasis on the Asian- Pacific region. She also said that the four “Pacific Alliance” members maintain a strong network of free trade agreements and a market of more than 200 million consumers, accounting for 36% of the Latin American population, around 26% of investment, 35% of GDP and 50% of total exports in the region. Finally, she mentioned that the “Pacific Alliance” is seeking cooperation with the other large trading bloc of Latin America known as MERCOSUR consisting of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, as the economic challenges of the 21st century can be addressed only with cooperation and not with protectionism.
The Commercial Attache of the Chilean Embassy in the United Kingdom, Mr. Ignacio Fernandez, stated in his extended presentation that the main objectives of the Pacific Alliance are to achieve the growth and competitiveness of member states, to tackle economic and social inequality by promoting social inclusion of the poorest sections of the population and to become a global platform that focuses on the Asian and Pacific markets. He also mentioned that the “Pacific Alliance” promotes free trade and the free movement of persons and capital.
The Mexican Ambassador to Greece Mr. Daniel Hernandez said in his speech that the “Pacific Alliance” is a unique way of achieving regional integration, while referring to how Greece can benefit from its participation as an observer country of the “Pacific Alliance” he said that active participation and economic gain lies with Greece itself, as it should propose to the Council of Founding member states specific proposals for cooperation. Closing his speech, he expressed his hope that Greece would move towards deepening the level of cooperation with the “Pacific Alliance”.
The Peruvian General Consul in Greece, Mr. Edgar Alvarado Salamanca, in his speech, referred to the priorities of the Peruvian Presidency of the Pacific Alliance for the period July 2018-July 2019, while stressing that the Pacific Alliance is not an international or a regional organization or a trade bloc in the narrow legal sense of the term but a cooperation between states that believe in the importance of the free market and regional integration to stimulate economic growth.
After the speeches were completed, a very interesting discussion followed with the participants of the event. After the end of the event, Chilean wine and finger food was offered to the participants who had the opportunity to exchange views with Ambassadors and Foreign missions officials.
The Panel of the Event: (From left to right) the CEO of IST College Mr.John Minadakis, the Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta, the Founder & President of KEDISA Mr. Andreas G.Banoutsos, the Ambassador of Mexico to Greece Mr.Daniel Hernandez, the General Consul of Peru in Greece Mr.Edgar Alvarado Salamanca and the Commecial Attache of Chile in the UK Mr. Ignacio Fernandez
The Founder & President of KEDISA Mr.Andreas G.Banoutsos at the podium
The CEO of IST College Mr.John Minadakis
The Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta
The Commercial Atacche of Chile in the UK Mr.Ignacio Fernandez
The Ambassador of Mexico to Greece Mr.Daniel Hernandez
The General Consul of Peru in Greece Mr.Edgar Alvarado Salamanca
The Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta and the Founder & President of KEDISA Mr.Andreas G.Banoutsos
From left to right: The EPLO Executive Mr.Thanos Niforos, the Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta and the Founder & President of KEDISA Mr.Andreas G.Banoutsos
From left to right: The Founder & President of KEDISA Mr.Andreas G.Banoutsos, the Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta, the Commercial Attache of Chile in the UK Mr.Ignacio Fernandez, KEDISA’s Junior Analyst Ms. Aggeliki Zagoriti, KEDISA’s Analyst Ms. Eva Tataraki, KEDISA’s Junior Analyst Ms. Vassiliki Linardou, KEDISA’s Junior Analyst Mr.Giannis Velentzas and KEDISA’s Junior Analyst Ms.Lamprini Panagopoulou
From left to right: KEDISA’s Director of Research Dr.Petros Violakis, the Commercial Attache of Chile in the UK Mr.Ignacio Fernandez, the General Consul of Peru in Greece Mr.Edgar Alvarado Salamanca, the Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta, the Founder & President of KEDISA Mr.Andreas G.Banoutsos, the CEO of IST College Mr.John Minadakis and a group of KEDISA’s Analysts and Junior Analysts
From left to right: KEDISA’s Intern Mr.Menelaos Gkikas, KEDISA’s Intern Ms.Elena Kriemadi, the Founder & President of KEDISA Mr.Andreas G.Banoutsos, KEDISA’s Intern Ms.Christina Zacharaki and KEDISA’s Intern Ms. Tonia Krokidi
From left to right: KEDISA’s Director of Research Dr.Petros Violakis, the General Consul of Peru in Greece Mr.Edgar Alvarado Salamanca, the Founder & President of KEDISA Mr.Andreas G.Banoutsos, the Ambassador of Chile to Greece Mme Pia Busta, the CEO of IST College Mr.John Minadakis and the Commercial Attache of Chile in the UK Mr.Ignacio Fernandez