WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GWHCC) and Events DC will host their Seventh Annual Embassy Celebration Dinner Series on Monday, October 19th at the Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square. We are honored to have former Secretary of Energy and Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson as the Keynote Speaker and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roberta Jacobson, both who will be discussing the newly signed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and how it will affect Latin America, and U.S.- Cuba relations. Furthermore, this year GWHCC will honor the Embassy of Spain and its Ambassador, Ramon Gil-Caseres Satrustegui with the Public Service Award.
“Washington, DC has increasingly become an international epicenter where North and Latin America meet,” said Governor Bill Richardson. “The GWHCC, with its recently launched international initiative, has become the bridge between the Hispanic business community and international business community,” he stated.
Latin America continues to be one of the strongest trading partners of the U.S., bilateral trade totaled $334 billion last year. According to the International Trade Administration (ITA), U.S. producers export three times more to Latin America than to China. By the same token, Central and South America (excluding Mexico) purchase 50 percent more U.S. goods than the Chinese. Furthermore, the TPP could have a tremendous impact on the economic growth of the region by opening new markets and creating more opportunities for Latin America. Three Latin American countries, Mexico, Peru and Chile, are part of the TPP, and others could be docked in the near future. In terms of investment, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), 20 percent of FDI in Latin America comes from the U.S.
“We are excited that Governor Richardson and Assistant Secretary Jacobson will be joining us to share their knowledge and experience on international trade topics, as well as the role of a Hispanic chamber leading an international initiative such as ‘Promoting Trade of the Americas’,” said Angela Franco, GWHCC President and CEO. “We are also pleased to recognize the Embassy of Spain this year with the Public Service award for their consistent leadership through cultural, educational and business exchanges with Hispanics in the U.S."
The GWHCC, which was recently named Chamber of the Year by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, has focused on driving economic growth in the DC Metro region and fostering economic relations in Latin America. During the Sixth Embassy Celebration Series in 2014, the GWHCC launched the “Promoting Trade of the America’’ initiative to promote and encourage the use of existing trade agreements between the U.S. and Latin America. In 2015, during the Business Expo, GWHCC hosted 15 companies from Latin America that showcased their products and services, and met with potential buyers here in the U.S. Moreover, GWHCC hosted an International Symposium to discuss business opportunities in Latin America, and how to take advantage of existing free trade agreements between the U.S. and Latin America. Lastly, the Chamber is partnering with Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation (PGCEDC) to launch two trade missions to Latin America in the spring of 2016, and also to encourage companies from Latin America to take advantage of PGCEDC’s International Incubator.
During the past six years, the Chamber has honored Latin American leaders and organizations that contribute to the success of international trade and commercial affairs in the Western Hemisphere, such as the Embassy of El Salvador; the Ambassador of Mexico, H.E. Eduardo Medina Mora; Ambassador Roberto Saladin, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the OAS; and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
About the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a 501(C) 6 membership driven organization, founded in 1976, that supports the economic development of the Greater Washington metropolitan area. The Chamber facilitates the success of Hispanic and other minority-owned businesses and the communities they serve through networking, advocacy, education and access to capital. For additional information visit our website www.gwhcc.org.