Victoria celebrates its growing relationship with Latin America and expands trade and investment opportunities.
On 3 August 2023, the Australia Latin America Business Council (ALABC) held the Melbourne Annual Dinner 2023 at the Park Hyatt Hotel with over 90 guests from government, industry, and civil society in attendance.
Global Victoria was a major partner of this year’s event with the aim to strengthen people-to-people links and celebrate the growing relationship between Australia and Latin America in the areas of business, innovation, and education.
The annual dinner provided the opportunity and environment for members to connect with industry and government representatives, exchange ideas, and learn about the latest trends and opportunities in the Latin American market.
At the event, guests heard from distinguished speakers including The Hon Tim Pallas, Treasurer of Victoria, H.E. Jaime Chomali, Ambassador of Chile and Michelle Ash, VP Growth BHP who provided expert insight into Latin America and business opportunities in the region.
It was also a great honour to welcome Latin American Ambassadors and Consular representatives from Guatemala, Uruguay, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Brazil to the event and have ten ALABC Directors in attendance.
Another highlight of the event was the emphasis on the re-establishment of direct flight from Melbourne to Santiago, a step that will further trade relationship and boost Victoria and Latin America’s economies. Direct air connectivity between Melbourne and Santiago will foster critical engagement links for business, tourism and education.
Victoria and Latin America have built a strong and enduring relationship, which is enhanced by shared interests like agricultural innovation, decarbonisation, education, sustainable mining and transitioning to renewable energy.
ALABC plays a crucial role in building and maintaining strong business links between Australia and Latin America.
Latin American Ambassadors’ Program
In August, the Victorian Government organised and delivered a diplomatic and business engagement program with seven Latin American Ambassadors and ALABC board members to showcase Victoria’s strengths and innovation in international education, agriculture, and infrastructure. Delegates were welcomed at the Study Melbourne Hub – a study space in the heart of Melbourne to support international students living in Victoria.
The morning session was hosted by Global Victoria's Fiona Letos, Executive Director of Global Engagement and Trade, and Caroline Hartnett, A/g Director of Study Melbourne and International Education. At this opportunity, the delegation had the chance to learn about Victoria’s support services and programs offered for international students and hear first-hand experiences from Latin American students on why they chose Australia’s best student city to study and live.
Following the morning engagement at the Study Melbourne Hub, the delegation headed to a site visit of the Victorian Tunnelling Centre and AgriBio. Dr Simone Warner, Head, of Agriculture Victoria Research (AVR) hosted the delegates at AgriBio and provided insights into Victoria’s world-class facility for agricultural biosciences research and development, including technology platforms for DNA sequencing and genotyping for plants, livestock, and microbes and smart farms.
Victorian Government attendance at the World of Agri-Tech Summit in Sao Paulo, Brazil 
Between 19-22 June, Santiago VGTI representatives attended the World of Agri-Tech South America Summit in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The preeminent AgTech innovation and investment event in Latin America, the World of Agri-Tech South America hosted over 700 high-level delegates, including founders and CEOs of the region’s leading AgTech start-ups, investors, accelerators, and agriculture corporations.
The Victorian Government’s participation at the summit provided an opportunity to deepen our connections with the South American AgTech ecosystem, convey Victoria’s value proposition as an AgTech hub in Australia and attract fast-growing technology providers from Latin America into Victoria.
Looking ahead
PERUMIN
Victorian Government representatives in Latin America will attend PERUMIN 2023 in Arequipa, Peru, from 25-28 September. Our Santiago VGTI colleagues will be available to assist Victorian Mining & METS companies attending the largest on mining and METS in the southern hemisphere.
IMARC
Global Victoria will lead the Victorian Government’s pavilion at the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) to be held in Sydney from 31 October - 2 November 2023.
We will host Latin American delegations and facilitate engagement with Victorian METS companies.
Connect with our team
- For regular updates on events and insights, follow our Santiago VGTI team on LinkedIn