An Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Dr Stephen Onakuse
The inaugural Ireland-Latin America and the Caribbean Business and Economic Forum (LACBEF) was held yesterday, 21 November 2023 in Dublin Castle, under the theme "Ireland and LAC – Expanding Opportunity".
University College Cork and Cork University Business School was represented by Dr. Stephen Onakuse at the one-day event.
The forum is a key objective of Ireland's first-ever Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean and aims to generate dialogue on business trends and opportunities, potentials for teaching learning and research collaboration, innovation, and the potential for future growth across a range of sectors in Ireland and the Latin America and Caribbean region.
The Forum includes four interactive panel discussions, (The Future of our Economic Relations - Key trends and opportunities for trade and investment in Ireland and LAC; Innovation and Collaboration - Science, research and education opportunities in Ireland-LAC relations; Sustainable Growth in Agri-Food - Green Growth for Food, Agriculture and Agritech and Strengthening Connectivity -Connecting Ireland and LAC: Trade, tourism and people-to-people links) and a key note address by the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheal Martin, T.D., and an address from Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett.
The forum brought together members of the Diplomatic Corps from Ireland the United Kingdom. The Mexican Ambassador to Ireland, Her Excellency, Ambassador Carolina Zaragoza, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, Hon. Kerrie D. Symmonds MP, Mr Tiago Da Silva Mascarenhas - Co-Founder and CEO SEDA College, CMO ABMEX Bank, Vice President Chamber of Commerce Brazil Ireland, Rodolfo Andrade Undersecretary of Economy for the State of Baja California, H.E. Laudemar Gonçalves de Aguiar - Undersecretary for Trade Promotion, Science, Technology, Innovation and Culture, Brazil, H.E. Karen Mae Hill Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to Ireland, Ambassador Ignacio Higueras Hare Deputy Foreign Minister, Peru, Hon. E.P. Chet Greene M.P. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade and Barbuda Affairs, H.E Therese Rath Ambassador-Designate of Belize to Ireland and many other dignitaries.
The innovation and collaboration panel dwell on the importance of enterprise led teaching and research approaches to industrial development based on experienced challenges. The Irish Government MSc scholarship for Latin American and the Caribbean counties was mentioned as one of the means to achieve and deepen teaching and learning collaboration.
The foremost takeaway from the forum is the pooling of talents and investment into innovation and collaboration across higher education and businesses in order to achieve energy transition, bridge the global digital divide and accepting Research, Development, and innovation as the keys to sustainable future for businesses.
Dr Stephen Onakuse is a co programme Director on our BSc (Hons) International Development) Learn more about the programme here.