CAF holds Board of Directors and Shareholders' Meeting in Paraguay to promote gender equity and intra-regional trade
The Board of Directors and the Assembly of Shareholders of CAF - Development Bank of Latin America, made up of the Ministers of Economy and Finance, Presidents of Central Banks and senior economic authorities of the shareholder countries, will meet for the first time in Asunción on 8 March in order to define strategic lines and analyse operations for the benefit of Latin Americans, in line with CAF's vision of becoming the reactivation bank and the green bank of Latin America. On this occasion, the Minister of Finance of Paraguay, Óscar Llamosas, will assume the Presidency of CAF's Board of Directors for a period of one year (2022-2023), which coincides with the 25th anniversary of its incorporation into the multilateral organisation.
Within the framework of CAF's Board of Directors and Shareholders' Assembly, a series of activities have been programmed in the country in line with the institution's renewed vision. In this sense, CAF's gender equality agenda has a relevant space with a sport that the entire region is passionate about: football. On Sunday, March 6, within the framework of the U-14 and U-16 finals of the Women's Development League of the Paraguayan Football Association, CAF announced an agreement with the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) to promote actions based on sport for development with the purpose of contributing, through sport, to greater social inclusion and the empowerment of girls, women, as well as people with disabilities and those in situations of social exclusion.
Likewise, on International Women's Day, CAF will organize a regional event to launch the CAF Strategy for Gender Equality 2022-2026, which establishes the institutional lines of action to accompany shareholder countries in the achievement of this objective and the empowerment of women; There will also be a space for reflection on the challenges of the region from the perspective of women's leadership, with the participation of Azucena Arbeleche, Minister of Economy and Finance of Uruguay; Sima Sami Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women; and Ana María Baiardi, CAF's new Manager of Gender, Inclusion and Diversity, among others.
Trade and global value chains play a decisive role in the post-pandemic economic reactivation, which is why CAF will present the Economy and Development Report entitled "Pathways to Integration: Trade Facilitation, Infrastructure and Global Value Chains" at an event to be held on March 7 in Paraguay, in which it analyzes the state of regional integration and assures that Latin America and the Caribbean can overcome the middle income trap if it increases and optimizes trade flows between its countries. The event will be attended by CAF's Executive President, Sergio Díaz-Granados; the Minister of Finance, Óscar Llamosas; the President of the Chamber of Maquiladora Companies of Paraguay (CEMAP), Carina Daher; and the Secretary General of the CAN, Jorge Pedraza; among others.
CAF is a firm ally of Paraguay's development and the improvement in the quality of life of its people. Between 1997 and 2021, CAF approved loans for USD 5,523 million in favour of the country, destined to initiatives that promote sustainable development, fiscal stability and the modernisation of infrastructures. Of this amount, 25% corresponds to road, logistics and connectivity infrastructure; 15% to electricity transmission and distribution projects; and the remaining 60% to the private and financial sector, macroeconomic and social support.
