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BDMG joins Regional Studies Association
Development Bank of Minas Gerais integrates the international association, allowing the exchange of ideas and production of studies focused on regional planning.
Belo Horizonte, June 2015 – The Development Bank of Minas Gerais (BDMG) joined Regional Studies Association (RSA) last Wednesday, 24th June 2015. BDMG’s president, Mr. Marco Aurelio Crocco, signed the filiation alongside Ms. Sally Hardy, RSA’s chief executive. According to Mr. Crocco, who is also RSA Ambassador in Brazil, the adhesion will allow the exchange between international academics and policy makers. “The bank starts to recover its D of ‘development’ and its role to be able to think Minas Gerais, to understand and produce knowledge about the state, guiding public policies to tackle regional inequalities”, he says.
Ms. Hardy highlights that RSA’s partnership with Centre for Development and Regional Planning of Federal University of Minas Gerais (Cedeplar/ UFMG) and with BDMG was essential for the launch of RSA’s Latin America division. BDMG’s filiation will allow a series of interactions around some problems RSA face about inequality and the need to rebalance national economies and regional economies. “One of the ways we will do this is through a knowledge exchange program, where we will put the academics together with the bank. The researchers will work the economy within the bank, to explore different solutions and strategies they can use”.
Founded in 1965 and based in the United Kindgom, RSA is composed of international researchers that promote the exchange of ideas and help studies about regional planning, development and public policies. The organization has members in 67 countries, 44 ambassadors, four regional divisions and six English sub-national sections.
Launch of RSA’s Latin America division – During a seminar held at BDMG, which marked the launch of RSA’s Latina America division, there were a few panels with local academics. Mr. Jose Rorello, from Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, spoke about issues and regional policies adopted in Argentina, while Mr. Amado Villarreal, from Instituto para el Desarrollo Regional, from Mexico, explained the regional industrial policy used in Latin America’s second largest economy through the identification of industrial complexes.
Mr. Sergio Castro, from Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Goias (PUC-GO), presented the trends and challenges of policies to regional development in Latin America and Brazil, highlighting national programs of income transfer. Mr. Renaud Guillonnet, manager of Venture program from European Union – Latin America and Caribbean Foundation (EU-LAC Foundation), showed opportunities of cooperation between the regions, through actions in innovation, corporate social responsibility and support to small and medium enterprises.
Mr. Elkin Velasquez, director of UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Latin America and Caribbean, explained the importance of urbanization to generate value and to reduce poverty. Mr. German Granda, from the European Commission, spoke about the cohesion policy implemented at European Union, whereas Mr. Gary Dimsky, from University of Leeds, presented a global approach to financing regional development.
BDMG Press Office – Wagner Concha
Credit of the photo: Bruna Marta/ BDMG.