Other Latino Events of Interest – Current Year

New Orleans to Host Hemisphere’s Major Conference
on the Caribbean and Central America

35th Annual CCAA Event comes to the Crescent City for the First Time

After taking place for more than three decades in Miami, the World Trade Center is proud to be a partner with Caribbean-Central American Action in bringing the 35th Annual Conference on the Caribbean and Central America to New Orleans, Nov. 30 – Dec. 2.  The CCAA Conference is the most-recognized forum focusing solely on the economies of the Caribbean Basin, and each year it brings together the key regional and international parties who are making a difference in the economic development of the Caribbean and Central America.  With 400 participants from around the globe, the Conference is the most significant gathering place for business leaders, policy-makers, financial institutions and other organizations that play a vital role in the region.

“New Orleans’ long history as a gateway to the Caribbean and Central America make it a natural destination for the CCAA Conference,” said WTC CEO Dominik Knoll. “Our ports and many businesses have very strong ties to the region – bringing in commodities, shipping and receiving goods, as well as partnering on energy exploration worth approximately $4 billion. This is also a great opportunity to show that, in addition to our tourism industry, Louisiana is one of the hemisphere’s best destinations for international business, trade, and investment.”

This year’s Conference is highlighted by distinguished speakers such as:

• Mr. Alberto Aleman, Administrator, Panama Canal Authority
• H.E. Francisco Campbell, Ambassador of Nicaragua to the U.S.
• H.E. Albert R. Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General, Organization of American States (OAS)
• Mr. Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Council of the Americas
• Mr. Winston Dookeran, Minister of Finance, Trinidad & Tobago

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to visit twenty different panel discussions on topics including economic growth and insecurity, trade and investment opportunities, trade policy, and industry-specific sessions on transportation, technology, energy, and natural resources. There will also be two plenary sessions and other activities such as dinners and field trips.

It is notable that eight of Louisiana’s top forty export destinations are located in the region: the Dominican Republic (13th), the Bahamas (15th), Guatemala (22nd), Costa Rica (30th), Jamaica (31st), Panama (33rd), Honduras (34th), and El Salvador (38th). In 2010, these countries accounted for $3.64 billion of Louisiana’s $41.3 billion global exports, with agriculture, petroleum and coal, and food manufactures making up the bulk of the total.  New Orleans is also the point of embarkation for more than 700,000 cruise passengers each year who visit ports throughout the region.

For an updated conference agenda and speakers list, please visit: www.wtcno.org/ccaa_agenda.pdf.

To register online, please click here. To book your hotel, please click here. For any further information or sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail ebrierre@wtcno.org or call (504) 619-9834.

NEW CITY | NEW OPPORTUNITIES | NEW ORLEANS