(15 April 2009)-- ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena will propose medium and long term strategies for companies to improve their competitiveness and contribute to the region's development in light of the economic crisis during the II Hemispheric Private Sector Forum to take place in the framework of the V Summit of the Americas in Trinidad & Tobago.

Bárcena will participate this April 16 in the panel "The Economic Stimulus Packages: Overview of Opportunities for Businesses", along with representatives of the World Bank and the Central Banks of Argentina and Trinidad & Tobago.

Business leaders will discuss public-private partnerships, corporate social responsibility, investment opportunities in large infrastructure projects and in information and communications technologies in order to face the economic crisis in better conditions.

The event is organized by the National Secretariat of the V Summit of the Americas, the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Organization of the Private Sector of the Americas.

The recommendations from the meeting will be presented on Friday, April 17 during a dialogue among government delegates and representatives of the private sector participating in the summit.

Bárcena's presentation, Latin America and the Caribbean: The Role of the Private Sector in Development, will be available on the ECLAC webpage (http://www.eclac.org/SectorPrivado/).

In addition to the participation of the Executive Secretary in the business forum, other Commission representatives will take part in other summit meetings and panels on workers, civil society and youth in the Americas.