MEETING REPORT R EGIONAL P OLICY DIALOGUE M EETING ON Tegucigalpa. March 3-5 2011 I. BACKGROUND/ISSUE 1.1 The Central American chapter of the Chief Economists network joins forces annually with CID to organize the Meetings of Central American IADB Governors, held at different locations throughout Central America. The meeting brings together Finance Ministers and Central Bank Presidents from all Central American countries and the Dominican Republic, as well as technical experts and IDB Staff, and it represents a forum of discussion on macroeconomic prospects and vulnerabilities, as well as other key sectoral topics of interest. 1.2 Many other macroeconomic policy forums tend to concentrate on bigger Latin American economies, whereas this forum narrows down the analysis to Central American countries, which represent a group of particular interest to the IDB given the relevance of the Bank’s share in these countries portfolios. The fact that authorities at the highest level are brought together by this Governors meeting represents a unique opportunity for macroeconomic dialogue and an excellent instance to convey policy recommendations. II. PARTICIPANTS 2.1 Participants at the 2011 Central American Meeting of the Chief Economists Network included Finance Ministers and/or Central Bank Presidents from all Central American countries and the Dominican Republic, as well as their advisors and other technical staff. IDB staff included President Moreno, VPS President Santiago Levy, CID Manager Gina Montiel, country Resident Representatives, as well as technical staff from RES and CID. About 70 participants attended the meeting. A list of registered participants is provided in Annex 1. III. AGENDA 3.1 This year the macroeconomic aspects covered by the meeting dwelled on the new global economic order that has emerged in the aftermath of the global financial crisis and its impact on Central America. As analyzed by RES, this new scenario has split Latin America into two groups, one composed of commodity exporters with increasing links to fast growing regions such as Asia, and another, composed of commodity importers with tight links to industrial countries. Central America is part of the second group and, as such, faces important challenges ahead given that commodity prices are likely to remain high, and industrial countries are facing a sluggish recovery. This analysis, together with an associated set of policy recommendations were discussed with Ministers and their staff. An agenda of the event is presented in Annex 2. IV. RESULTS 4.1 The analysis presented at the meeting was instrumental for discussion on which policies should be implemented to address the abovementioned challenges. In particular, issues of lower post-global crisis growth were addressed, and policy options were discussed. The fact that current account deficits are widening in a context of higher commodity import prices, while foreign direct investment (a source of financing of this deficit) is decreasing and is being replaced by volatile financial flows, led to a discussion on the vulnerabilities that this situation generates, as well as policies that need to be tackled to contain their impact. 4.2 In this respect, particular interest was shown by the Central Bank of Guatemala, which requested a presentation of this material to their Monetary Council, comprised of the Vice-Presdient of Guatemala, ministry of finance and Central Bank Staff (including the Finance Minister and the Vice-President of the Central Bank) as well as businessmen representing the industrial sector. The meeting was held in Guatemala city in April of 2011. V. EVALUATION OF THE EVENT 5.1 Standard evaluation of the event could not be conducted at the time, given that this meeting took place in the context of a bigger event, namely the XXV meeting of Governors of the Central American Isthmus and the Dominican Republic, and it was problematic to ask participants to evaluate only a portion of the event. VI. NEXT STEPS 6.1 The Central American chapter of the Chief Economists Network will continue its joint collaboration with CID by organizing the 2012 Meeting of Central American Governors. Annex 1 - List of Participants DELEGACIONES Belice Alfredo Martínez, Embajador en Guatemala Yvonne Sharman Hyde, Chief Executive Officer. Ministry of Economic Development Costa Rica Juan Carlos Pacheco, Viceministro de Inversión Pública El Salvador Carlos Enrique Cáceres, Ministro de Hacienda Guatemala Edgar Barquín Durán, Presidente Banco de Guatemala Mayra Palencia Prado, Directora de Crédito Público/ MFP Sergio Francisco Recinos, Gerente Financiero Banco de Guatemala Donald Eduardo Cuevas, Director de Análisis y Evaluación Fiscal Oscar Funes, Asesor Superintendente de Administración Tributaria Honduras William Chong Wong, Ministro de Finanzas María Elena Mondragón, Presidenta del Banco Central de Honduras María Antonieta Guillén de Bográn, Designada Presidencial y Ministra de la Presidencia Vilma Morales, Presidenta Comisión Nacional de Bancos y Seguros Arturo Corrales, Secretario Técnico en el Despacho Planificación y Cooperación Externa José Oswaldo Guillén, Director de la Dirección Ejecutiva de Ingresos Evelyn Bautista, Viceministra de Crédito e Inversión Pública Mauro Membreño, Comisionado Presidencial Modernización del Estado Orfidia Pastora, Directora General de Crédito Público Jackeline Molina, Directora General de Inversión Pública Martín Portillo, Enlace SEFIN con el BID Orlando Garner, Asesor SEFIN Nicaragua Alberto José Guevara Obregón, Ministro de Hacienda y Crédito Público Ana Matilde García, Jefe Despacho Ministro de Hacienda y Crédito Público Alvaro Peralta, Coordinador Proyectos BID, Ministerio de Hacienda y Crédito Público Marling Rodríguez, Enlace con el BID, Ministerio de Hacienda y Crédito Público Panamá Alberto Vallarino Cléments, Ministro de Economía y Finanzas Dulcidio De la Guardia, Viceministro de Finanzas República Dominicana Nelson Toca, Viceministro de Planificación DIRECTORES EJECUTIVOS Manuel Coronel, Director Ejecutivo por Centro América y Belice Muriel Alfonseca, Directora Ejecutiva Alterna por República Dominicana y México Antonio De Roux, Director Ejecutivo Alterno por Panamá y Venezuela Carmen María Madríz, Directora Ejecutiva Alterna por Centroamérica y Belice Tomás Rosada, Consejero Principal por Centro América y Belice Mauricio Silva, Consejero por Centro América y Belice Marlon Tabora, Consejero por Centro América y Belice Elvira Méndez, Asistente Directorio EXD ADMINISTRACIÓN BID Luis Alberto Moreno, Presidente BID Julie Katzman, Vicepresidenta Ejecutiva Roberto Vellutini, Vicepresidente VPC/VPC Santiago Levy, Vicepresidente VPS/VPS Steven Puig, Vicepresidente VPP/VPP German Quintana, Secretario del Banco SEC/SEC Luis Estanislao Echebarria, Gerente SPD/SPD Gina Montiel, Gerente CID/CID Alexandre Rosa, Gerente INE/INE Jacques Rogozinski, Gerente GEN/OGM (CII) Antoni Estevadeordal, Gerente INT/INT Luis Giorgio, Jefe de Gabinete de la Oficina de Presidencia BID Fernando Jiménez-Ontiveros, Subgerente MIF/MIF Juan Pablo Bonilla, Asesor Senior EVP Ma. Claudia Gómez, Asesora Ejecutiva del Presidente BID Alejandro Izquierdo, Economista Principal CID/REA Caroline Clarke, Representante CID/CBL Fernando Quevedo, Representante CID/CCR Rodrigo Parot, Representante CID/CES Juan José Taccone, Representante CID/CGU Miguel Manzi, Representante CID/CHO Ellis Juan, Representante CID/CME Mirna Lievano de Márques, Representante CID/CNI Marcelo Antinori, Representante CID/CPN Manuel Labrado, Representante CID/CDR Dana Martin, Asesor Senior OMJ/OMJ Pablo Bachelet, Jefe de Prensa Javier Bartoli, Jefe de Protocolo PRO Osmel Manzano, Economista Regional CID/CID Hector Morena, Coordinador de País para Honduras CID/CID Gustavo Beliz, Especialista Lider en Modernización del Estado Nathalie Alvarado, Especialista Lider en Modernización del Estado Alberto Barreix, Especialista Fiscal Principal Anaí Herrera, Front desk Gerencia CID/CID Aída Gómez, Front desk Gerencia CID/CID Irasema Infante, Proyecto Mesoamérica Ennio Rodríguez, Proyecto Mesoamérica Angela Funez, Prensa Carmen Alvarez, Especialista OMJ CID/CES Jorge Roldán, Oficial Inversiones CII Rebeca Tagle, Oficial Inversiones CII Annex 2 - Agenda XXV REUNIÓN DE GOBERNADORES DEL ISTMO CENTROAMERICANO Y REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA Hotel Intercontinental Tegucigalpa, Honduras Jueves 3 y Viernes 4 de marzo de 2011 Miércoles 2 de Marzo 8:00 pm Recepción de Bienvenida ofrecida por Gina Montiel, Gerente General del Departamento de Países CID del BID “El Trapiche”, Tegucigalpa Jueves 3 de Marzo 7:45 am –9:00 am Desayuno privado de los Gobernadores y Directores Ejecutivos Hotel Intercontinental 9:00 am–9:10 am Ingreso del Señor Presidente de la República 9:10 am–9:15 am Himno Nacional de Honduras INAUGURACION DEL EVENTO 9:15 am–9:30 am Bienvenida Luis Alberto Moreno, Presidente del BID 9:30 am–10:00 am Inauguración Porfirio Lobo Sosa, Presidente de la República de Honduras 10:00 am Retiro del Señor Presidente de la República 10:00 am–10:15 am Café 10:15 am–10:30 am Palabras de Apertura William Chong Wong, Ministro de Finanzas y Gobernador por Honduras ante el BID 10:30 am–11:30 am El Istmo Centroamericano y la República Dominicana: Oportunidades y Perspectivas. Santiago Levy, Vicepresidente de Sectores y Conocimiento del BID Alejandro Izquierdo, Asesor Económico Regional para CID del BID 11:30 am–12:15 pm Discusión General 12:30 pm–2:00 pm Almuerzo “Instrumentos para la Participación del Sector Privado” Key Note Speakers: Steven Puig, Vicepresidente del Sector Privado y Operaciones sin Garantía Soberana del BID Jacques Rogozinski, Gerente General de la Corporación Interamericana de Inversiones Hotel Intercontinental 2:00 pm–3:00 pm De frente a Calgary: la visión desde el Istmo Centroamericano y República Dominicana Luis Giorgio, Jefe de Gabinete del Presidente del BID; Koldo Echebarría, Gerente de la Oficina de Planeamiento Estratégico y Efectividad en el Desarrollo del BID 3:00 pm–4:00 pm Discusión General 4:00 pm-4:15 pm Café 4:15 pm-4:45 pm Las reformas fiscales en la región: experiencias, lecciones aprendidas y los próximos pasos. Alberto Barreix, Especialista Fiscal Principal de BID 4:45 pm- 5:30 pm Discusión General 5:30 pm–7:30 pm Reuniones Bilaterales 5.30 pm-6-00 pm 6:00 pm–6:30 pm 6:30 pm–7:00 pm 7:00 pm-7:30 pm Belice Costa Rica Guatemala Panamá 7:30 pm–7:45 pm Traslado hacia Cena Oficial (salida del lobby del hotel) 8:00 pm Cena Oficial ofrecida por Porfirio Lobo Sosa. Presidente de la República Casa Presidencial Foto Oficial Viernes 4 de Marzo 7:30 am-9:00 am Continuación Reuniones Bilaterales 7:30 am-8:00 am 8:00 am-8:30 am 8:30 am-9:00 am Nicaragua República Dominicana El Salvador 9:00 am–11: 00 am Agenda de la Integración del Istmo Centroamericano y República Dominicana: iniciativas e instrumentos clave. 9:00 am – 9:40 am Instrumentos para Apoyar la Integración Regional Antoni Estevadeordal, Gerente del Departamento de Integración del BID Discusión 9:40 am – 10:20 am La Estrategia de Seguridad. Nathalie Alvarado, Especialista Líder en Modernización del Estado del BID Discusión 10:20 am -11:00 am Financiamiento de la Agenda del Cambio Climático y Desastres Naturales. Juan Pablo Bonilla, Jefe de Gabinete de la Vicepresidencia Ejecutiva del BID Discusión 11:00 am–11:30 am Palabras de Clausura Luis Alberto Moreno, Presidente del BID William Chong Wong, Ministro de Finanzas y Gobernador por Honduras ante el BID 11:30 am–12:00 pm Conferencia de Prensa Ofrecida por el Presidente del Banco y los Gobernadores del BID presentes en la Reunión 1:00 pm–2:30 pm Almuerzo Hotel Intercontinental