The "Seminar on knowledge transfer in policymaking and management: Internationalization of companies under a cluster strategy" - held April 18 through 20 in Lima - was opened by deputy minister of Foreign Trade, Carlos Posada Ugaz, and CAF director in Peru, Eleonora Silva Pardo, with the aim of stimulating innovation, competitiveness and productivity in Peru.

The event – in the hands of renowned experts Alejandro Ferrari (Argentina), Manuel Montoya (Mexico), Eduardo Salazar (Colombia), and Albert Solé and Lluis Ramis (Spain) – was intended to expand knowledge and understanding of international experiences in establishing and implementing cluster policies.

After thanking CAF for cooperating with the organization of the seminar through its Competitiveness Support Program, the deputy minister emphasized the introduction of integrated training practices, methodological knowledge and strategies for stimulating clusters, along with formulating and implementing cooperative internationalization projects.

After remarking that clusters were particularly important for countries in the region since they are based on socio-cultural traditions of cooperation, Silva Pardo said CAF considered that Peru had the elements needed to develop this system, which brings the benefit of narrowing the productivity gap and increasing business competitiveness.

"These production clusters can be a means of inclusion and a mechanism for reducing poverty since they require the active participation of all stakeholders and favor empowerment, but also promote continuous and sustainable innovation," she said.

(END) INT/EEP