CEOE and OECD set the business roadmap for the XXX Ibero-American Summit: public-private collaboration as the engine of the region

Ibero-American Summit 2026

The CEOE headquarters in Madrid hosted the 16th Ibero-American Business Meeting, a key preparatory event for the 30th Summit of Heads of State. The event, organized in conjunction with the OECD, underscored the need for a strategic alliance between the public and private sectors to address the challenges of investment, value chains, and productivity in the region.

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The business sector and governments lay the groundwork for the XXX Ibero-American Summit

The headquarters of the CEOE en Madrid has been the scene of XVI Ibero-American Business Meeting, a strategic preparatory forum for the XXX Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in España next November. Organized by the Consejo de Empresarios Iberoamericanos (CEIB) And Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos (OCDEThe meeting brought together more than 50 ministers, business leaders and heads of international organizations to define a common roadmap focused on public-private collaboration as the cornerstone of regional competitiveness.

Under the slogan "Mutual benefits of a revitalized strategic partnership in the new geopolitical context", the event highlighted that América Latina and the Caribe They are demanding a renewed leading role in the global economy. This is how it was expressed José Alberto González-Ruiz, general secretary of CEOE, who highlighted the event as a reflection of "the commitment of CEOE by IberoaméricaIn his speech, he stressed that the region possesses essential resources for the energy transition and vast growth potential, stating that since CEOE y CEIB They are "strong advocates that The private sector must be part of the major discussions and agreements. that will define the region's economic future."

Spanish investment as a pillar and the OECD as a strategic partner

Institutional support was key during the event. Jordi Colgán, Director General of Economic Diplomacy of Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación de España, he asserted the support of the Spanish Government for a OCDE a strengthened two-way relationship with América Latina. Colgán detailed the investment weight of España, which is consolidating as the second foreign investor in the region, with a figure close to 1.000 billion euros in 2025 and a prominent presence of 75% of the companies in IBEX 35Furthermore, he pointed to the optimism of the business community, as 65% of Spanish companies based there expect to maintain or increase their revenue.

From the perspective of OCDE, Hanni Rosenbaum, executive director of Business at OECD (BIAC), emphasized the value of joining the Organization as a catalyst for improvements in the business climate. For its part, José Antonio Ardavín, head of the Division of América Latina y el Caribe from the OCDEHe described the integration process as "unfinished, but in the process of revitalization," where the adoption of international standards improves public policies and attracts investment.

Key data on Spanish investment in Iberoamérica (2025).

Indicator	Figure
Position as a foreign investor	2nd largest global investor in the region
Investment in 2025	Nearly 1.000 million euros
Presence of companies from IBEX 35	75 %
Revenue expectations (Spanish companies)	65% expect to maintain or increase it

Garamendi: "It's Ibero-America's time"

The closing ceremony of the meeting was led by Antonio Garamendi, President of CEOE y CEIB, who summarized the general sentiment with a forceful statement: "It's Ibero-America's time". Garamendi He argued that no economic transformation will be viable without investment and reiterated that "businesses are not the problem but an essential part of the solution." In this regard, he emphasized three key messages for regional progress: considering the private sector as part of the solution, recognizing business organizations as legitimate partners, and creating environments conducive to investment. "Public-private partnerships are not an option, they are a necessity," he asserted.

Silvia da Rin Pagnetto, special advisor to the Secretary-General of the OCDE all with América Latina y el CaribeHe agreed on the need for greater private sector participation in public policy design. He cautioned, however, that high level of informal employment It remains one of the biggest obstacles to regional competitiveness. Meanwhile, Susana Sumelzo, Secretary of State for Iberoamérica y el Caribe y el Español en el Mundo, reaffirmed the commitment of España with multilateralism and highlighted Spanish as a strategic asset for inclusion and access to knowledge.

The challenge of productivity and the value of the LEO report

The day also included the presentation of the report Latin American Economic Outlook (LEO), prepared by CAF, the OCDE, the CEPAL and Comisión EuropeaThe document offers recommendations for mobilizing financing, attracting quality investment, and boosting productivity. Within this framework, Andrés AllamandThe Ibero-American Secretary General focused on the region's main structural problem: the stagnation of productivity, which has limited growth to an average of just 2,4% over the last two decades. "Without increased productivity, we cannot grow."he warned Allamand, urging public officials to use the report as a basis for undertaking urgent reforms. Narciso CasadoPermanent Secretary of CEIBHe complemented this vision by emphasizing the need to "turn the diagnosis and narrative offered by the LEO report into action."

Key points and frequently asked questions about the Ibero-American Business Meeting

What is the main conclusion for Spanish companies with interests in Latin America?

The main conclusion is that the public-private partnership It has become established as the indispensable path to growth. For Spanish companies, this means that business opportunities, especially in sectors such as the energy transition, digitalization, and critical minerals, will be increasingly linked to strategic projects supported by the region's governments and organizations such as the OCDE.

What economic challenges were identified as most urgent for the region?

Two major structural challenges were identified: the productivity stagnationwhich has hampered growth for 20 years, and the high level of informal employmentThis hinders competitiveness and the attraction of quality investment. Both challenges require profound reforms and the active involvement of the private sector to overcome them.

What is expected from the XXX Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State in November?

The Summit of Heads of State and Government is expected to gather the proposals and analyses from the business sector and translate them into concrete political commitmentsThe goal is for the dialogue established in forums like this to materialize into public policies that improve the business climate, strengthen legal certainty, and accelerate regional integration, consolidating the strategic alliance between América Latina and Unión Europea.