IPDAL took part in the 15th ABECEB Forum, held on 4 November at the Faena Forum in Puerto Madero (Buenos Aires), one of Latin America’s leading economic conferences dedicated to global trends, competitiveness, energy, sustainability and regional development. This participation took place during the mission of IPDAL’s Secretary-General, Gastón Ocampo, to Buenos Aires.

IPDAL’s presence was particularly relevant given the recent institutional cooperation with Dante Sica, founder of ABECEB and former Minister of Production and Labour of Argentina, in the preparation of the report on the EU–Mercosur Association Agreement presented in Lisbon.

The event brought together business leaders, policymakers, academics and representatives from international organisations, featuring high-level speakers across multiple sessions. The opening panel included Mariana Camino, CEO and President of ABECEB; Andrés Malamud, researcher at the University of Lisbon and member of ABECEB’s Global Business Hub; Antonio Sola, President of Fundación Liderar con Sentido Común; Dante Sica, founder of ABECEB; and Juan Santiago, founder and CEO of Santex. The session was moderated by Rosendo Grobocopatel, CEO of Constelaciones.

Other panels featured contributions from Marcos Prado Troyjo, former President of the New Development Bank (NDB–BRICS); Daniel Kerner, Managing Director for Latin America at Eurasia Group; Alessandra Scafati, sustainability expert; and Kate Kalutkiewicz, Senior Managing Director at McLarty Associates.

A noteworthy session brought together former Heads of State to discuss Latin America’s strategic role in a shifting geopolitical landscape: Mauricio Macri, former President of Argentina; Felipe Calderón, former President of Mexico; and Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, former President of Chile. José María Aznar, former President of the Government of Spain, participated as a special guest in the panel focused on Europe and the future of transatlantic relations.

Throughout the forum, discussions centred on energy transition, industrial innovation, strategic investment and the evolution of global markets, with insights from influential experts and decision-makers from Latin America and Europe.

IPDAL’s participation reinforces the Institute’s commitment to closely monitoring economic developments in the region and to strengthening ties between Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula and the wider Ibero-American space. By integrating this forum, IPDAL continues its mission of fostering informed dialogue, bringing together public and private actors and supporting initiatives that contribute to a more stable, open and sustainable economy at both regional and international levels.