U.S. Ambassador Frank E. Baxter, Canadian Ambassador Alain Latulippe and Mexican Ambassador Cassio Luiselli at the March 13, 2008 launching of the Americas Innovation Forum.

Montevideo -- During a presentation March 13, U.S. Ambassador Frank Baxter urged companies to participate in the upcoming Americas Innovation Forum, endorsing the event as an opportunity for Uruguay to position itself as a center of innovation in the region.

The forum, to be held March 30-April 1 at the Conrad Hotel in Punta del Este, will draw business and government leaders from 20 countries to discuss the further development of innovation in education, entrepreneurship and technology in the Western Hemisphere.

“It does not surprise me that the organizers chose Uruguay as the headquarters of the Americas Innovation Forum. This country has the potential to become the center of innovation in South America,” Mr. Baxter said during a breakfast presentation at the Montevideo Golf Club.

The March 13 event was organized by the embassies and binational chambers of commerce of the United States, Canada and Mexico in order to encourage the Uruguayan business community to participate in the Americas Innovation Forum.

The forum will propose strategies to increase innovation in the region, focusing on education and public policies that support the advancement of technology and entrepreneurship.

Plenary sessions are to address information and telecommunications technologies, biotechnology, engineering and human capital, while workshops will highlight international cooperation for the development of alternative energy, digital communications, tourism, agroindustry, pharmaceuticals and nanotechnology.

Mr. Baxter invited Uruguay businesspersons to attend the forum, emphasizing its importance for showcasing Uruguay’s potential for investment and economic development.

“The forum will demonstrate advances in recent technology and business practices that reflect Uruguay’s long-term plans and attractive growth in the business world. Visitors will learn how this country is creating programs that support the ambitions of small business owners and innovators of the future,” he said.

The Americas Innovation Forum in Uruguay is to feature 47 speakers, 20 countries, 25 multinational corporations and 22 institutions and government agencies. More than 1,000 entrepreneurs, executives, academics and government officials from the throughout the hemisphere are expected to attend.

The forum, organized by Uruguay’s National Research and Innovation Agency, is a follow-up to the Americas Competitiveness Forum held in June 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, which Mr. Baxter attended with a group of Uruguay government officials and technology business representatives.

The Americas Innovation Forum in Uruguay forum will expand on the topics of innovation and competitiveness discussed at the Atlanta forum, and will serve as a preview to the second annual Americas Competitiveness Forum to be held in Atlanta, Aug. 17-19, 2008 (http://trade.gov/competitiveness/acf/index.asp).

For more information, or to register for the Americas Innovation Forum in Punta del Este, March 30-April 1, please visit http://www.fia2008.com.uy/Fia_2008.

Following is a translation of ambassador Baxter's remarks, delivered in Spanish:

(begin transcript)

Hello and thank you very much for being here this morning.

At least once a year, business leaders from all over the world meet to discuss the trends in economic growth, education and techology that will be shaping the future.

These leaders usually decide to meet in a friendly country that is proud of the intelligence of its labor force and who’s government is open to new ideas. So it does not surprise me that the organizers chose Uruguay as the headquarters of the Americas Innovation Forum. This country has the potential to become the center of innovation in South America.

The Forum will highlight the most recent advances in technology and business practices that reflect Uruguay’s long-term plans and attractive growth in the business world. Visitors will learn how this country is creating programs at the national level that encourage the goals of small business leaders and innovators of the future.

The Americas Innovation Forum is itself a follow-up event of the Americas Competitiveness Forum which took place last year in Atlanta, and this meeting preceeds the second Americas Competitiveness Forum that will take place again in Atlanta next August.

I urge everyone attend the Americas Innovation Forum, to register and to participate in the multiple and diverse sessions. The ideas and proposals that will be discussed will directly impact on our lives and have a positive impact on the future of our young people.

My wish is that the discussions generated here, in which we will promote knowlege and innovation as well as investment in technology as part of strategies for development, will be of real benefit to everyone of your countries and businesses.

Thank you.

(end transcript)