The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) hosted its third LATAM Conference, themed “Nuevos Caminos for a Changed World”, bringing together 145 business leaders and government representatives from Singapore and Latin America. The event, attended by the Minister of State for Manpower and Trade and Industry, marked the commemoration of the MERCOSUR–Singapore Free Trade Agreement (MCSFTA), which came into force earlier this year for Singapore, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil, with Argentina expected to follow in November.
The MCSFTA aims to provide preferential market access, enabling Singaporean businesses to diversify and strengthen their supply chains whilst exploring new markets. Mark Lee, Chairman of SBF, emphasised the importance of Latin America as a region not to be overlooked by Singaporean companies, stating, “In an increasingly uncertain world, businesses need to be alert to opportunities to diversify both their markets and sources of supply.”
The conference featured a plenary session titled “Connecting Two Regions, Unlocking New Opportunities”, with panellists such as Lionel Chatelet, Chief Commercial Officer of Pacific International Lines, and Luis Coronado, Tax Partner at EY. Discussions focused on enhancing trade and investment flows between Southeast Asia and Latin America.
As the conference concluded, SBF reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Singapore businesses in Latin America through its GlobalConnect@SBF programme, aiming to facilitate companies’ efforts in learning, landing, and localising in the region.
