The Inter-American Development Bank studies the Basque competitiveness model

A technical delegation from Latin America’s leading financial organisation will be visiting the Basque Country until Friday as the outcome of Basque President Patxi López’s business mission to the USA last October In 2011 the BID granted a total of 8,385 million euros in loans and donations for development projects in Latin America The mission will focus on good practice in competitiveness and innovation

Basque Government, 07/05/2012

From today until Friday, the Department of Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism will be visited by a delegation from the Competitiveness and Innovation Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (BID), Latin America’s leading financial organisation whose aim is to foster the development of this entire area. Last year the BID granted loans of 8,385 million euros for this purpose. The delegation’s visit is the result of a business mission to the USA in October led by the Basque President Patxi López, who signed an agreement for mediation between the BID and Basque companies with a view to developing projects in Latin America. Last year alone the BID granted loans and donations totalling 8,385 million euros for development projects in Latin America.

The aim of the BID delegation’s visit is to obtain first-hand information on the instruments and services that have been implemented by the Basque Government to encourage and consolidate the competitiveness of the business fabric.

They wish to find out about and analyse the good practices that have been designed within the framework of the Competitiveness Plan and implemented in collaboration with Basque advanced services companies, and which can serve as a reference point for the projects to be embarked on by Latin American countries and financed through the BID. During the five-day visit, the Inter-American Development Bank representatives will hold a meeting with the Regional Minister for Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism, Bernabé Unda, and the Managing Director of SPRI, Tomás Orbea. A visit to the Technology Parks is also on the agenda, and the directors of the Basque business clusters will also be able to provide them with an insight on the cooperation policies they are currently putting into practice. The agenda will be rounded off with visits to Innobasque, Elkargi, the Innovanet Network, Business and Innovation Centres, Tecnalia, MCC, Orkestra and other entities forming part of the Basque network of innovation stakeholders.

The visiting BID delegation is of a technical nature and consists of professionals directly responsible for promoting, managing and validating the projects presented by the different countries for funding. An advantage will be provided by the fact that the Basque companies that will tender for the projects have much experience in successful schemes already run in the Basque Country, and in innovation and internationalisation projects in particular.

The Basque President’s visit to the BID in October 2011 has already opened up other opportunities for collaboration. In March, the Basque Government, through SPRI, was invited to present the urban regeneration project for the major Basque cities within the framework of the URBE2050 project.

At the end of this month (from 28 May – 1 June) another BID delegation is set to visit the region, this time to find out about projects and methodology for sustainable cities and energy efficiency in the Basque Country, and more meetings will be held with the Minister for Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism, Bernabé Unda, the Regional Minister for Housing, Public Works and Transport, Iñaki Arriola, and the Regional Minister for the Environment, Land Use Planning and Agriculture and Fisheries, Pilar Unzalu.

The Inter-American Development Bank

The Inter-American Development Bank (BID) is an international financial organisation with a capital of 136,000 million euros, created with the purpose of financing feasible projects for social, economic and institutional development and promoting regional business integration in the Latin American and Caribbean area.

Throughout 2011, the BID granted loans and donations for a total of 8,385 million euros for projects to nurture development in Latin America. The projects are run in four priority sectors: Social policies to encourage productivity, Institutions focusing on growth and social wellbeing, Competitiveness and global international integration and Environmental protection (response to the climate change, promotion of renewable energies and food security).