Southern Comfort: Economic Development in Latin America
Event Video
Schedule:
Session One: Tuesday, October 16th
Barriers to Trade
Tom Kelly
Economist
Millenium Challenge Corporation
Dr. Mario Villarreal
Affiliated Senior Scholar
Mercatus Center
Session Two: Wednesday, October 17th
Land Rights and Property
Dr. Jolyne Sanjak
Senior Director for Property Rights and Land Policy
Millenium Challenge Corporation
Karol Boudreaux
Senior Research Fellow
Mercatus Center
Session Three: Thursday, October 18th
MCC Compacts in Practice
Stacy Rhodes
Managing Director for Latin America
Millenium Challenge Corporation
Dr. Frederic Sautet
Senior Research Fellow
Mercatus Center
Latin America has historically been an important region for American foreign policy. Billions have been given in the name of economic development, and yet prosperity has eluded millions within its population.
So what is the key to developing sustainable economies in Latin America? How have some countries been able to find moderate success in creating prosperity? What role can foreign aid play in facilitating this process?
These questions are a matter of life and death for the poor people in Latin America. To delve deeper into the causes and effects of poverty throughout the region, the Mercatus Center at George Mason is pleased to partner with the Millennium Challenge Corporation for a three-day course held exclusively for policy makers. By combining both theory and practice, this course will provide policy makers with a strong framework in which to analyze the current economic environment in Latin America.
Join us as Mercatus scholars and MCC practitioners explore the following questions:
- How can foreign aid encourage the proper incentives that foster sustained prosperity?
- What role can trade play in economic development? How can the region benefit from trade?
- What role does private property play in development? How can land rights encourage economic growth?
- How do MCC Compacts differ from previous forms of aid that have failed to bring about prosperity? What empirical evidence is there that these Compacts are working? What economic principles must the MCC keep in mind when signing these Compacts?