Rio de Janeiro will host the World Economic Forum on Latin America from April 14 – 16, which will gather CEOs, executives, and businessmen to discuss integrating regional economies, addressing the economic crisis, economic policies, and environmental friendly business solutions.

The co-chairs of the event include executives from KPMG International, Lloyd’s, and Banco Itaú Unibanco, amongst others. The conference will include panels on technology, food security, climate policy, bioenergy, transportation, and foreign investment. President Lula will open the event with a speech addressing the economic crisis in Latin America.

The official site provides an interesting summary:

“High commodity prices, favourable financial conditions and the hard-won economic reforms of the 1990s boosted regional economic growth to an average of 5% in the past years, with low inflation and strong current account surpluses.

Besides dealing with the international financial turbulence and possible volatility in commodity prices, the greatest challenge for Latin America is still to harmonize economic expansion and social progress.

With the full support of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Forum’s key Strategic Partners, the World Economic Forum will reconvene 500 of the most prominent leaders from Latin America and other parts of the world from 14 to 16 April 2009 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to build on the success of the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Cancún, Mexico, in 2008.”