Minister Eduardo Accastello Participated in the Closing Conference of the Foreign Trade Sessions. A total 3231 participants joined the 47 training activities held throughout the month of May during the Foreign Trade Sessions. A recording of the closing conference is available on ProCórdoba Agency's YouTube channel.

Eduardo Accastello, Minister of Industry, Trade and Mining of the Province of Córdoba, gave the keynote presentation - remotely - at the closing conference of the 6th Foreign Trade Sessions. Presentations were also delivered by Jorge Marcotegui, ProCórdoba Agency's President, and Pablo Sívori, Undersecretary for Trade Strategy and Economic Promotion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of the Nation.

The 2020 edition of the Foreign Trade Sessions organized in May each year by ProCórdoba Agency had a total 3231 participants and included 47 training activities.

In the face of the global pandemic, the Sessions were held completely on line, for the first time.

The synergy between the public and private sectors, and the concerted work of higher education institutions, academia, professionals, businesspeople, and foreign trade chambers and organizations made it possible for a large number of Cordobese to receive training about, and discuss, the challenges of international markets.

In his presentation, Minister Accastello said,

"The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Mining, through ProCórdoba, works to expand the export base of the province and, during these times, there's a motto which has become a state policy: our challenge is for Córdoba to export more and better, and in order to do that, we must work together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs guided by a national strategy to make our products more competitive."

The Minister also referred to the present situation:

"Foreign trade will undergo many changes. It's one of the areas most seriously affected by the pandemic, and the public sector must play a key role in supporting the private sector. We want to transform the crisis into opportunity. It's necessary to find alternatives, conduct structural reforms and develop a new vision to redesign foreign trade."

The official then stated that expanding the export basket is a firm decision:

"Our vision is the 2030 Córdoba new Productive Matrix, projecting comparative advantages, diversifying competitive strategies, strengthening the territorial development of our towns and their value chains. ‘One town, one production development' is the Ministry's new program." He added, "We are working on a digital platform called ‘Córdoba Exporta Más' (Córdoba Exports More) to make digital trade, electronic commerce training and marketing our priority."

Finally, Accastello emphasized,

"I'm sure the demand in international destinations will recover and restrictions will progressively be lifted in our destination markets. We need to be ready for when that time comes."

ProCórdoba Agency's President, on the other hand, took a moment to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of local firms which, during this pandemic, managed to conduct their first export, gain new markets or win international public bids. He also explained,

"The current situation represents a threat in the future because importing countries are now facing the need to become producers. Changes are coming, which will affect trade exchanges. To face them, we have conducted a comprehensive assessment of the province's export offer with a view to redesigning our tools and accompanying the private sector in the new scenario."

Marcotegui highlighted the new strategies being designed by ProCórdoba Agency, particularly in relation to technical assistance and the implementation of virtual trade promotion actions.

For his part, the Undersecretary for Trade Strategy and Economic Promotion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship of the Nation delivered a conference called "Prospects, instruments and actions to drive export," during which he stressed the importance of the public and private sectors working together under a federal, collaborative vision that leads to a national export offer as opposed to a fragmented offer.

The closing conference of the 6th Foreign Trade Sessions is available on ProCórdoba Agency's YouTube channel.

Below follows a list of participant institutions:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship.
• Ministry of Culture of the Nation - Secretariat for Cultural Development.
• Argentine Investment and Trade Promotion Agency.
• Córdoba Chamber of Foreign Trade.
• Córdoba Grain Exchange.
• Chamber of Health Industries.
• AmCham Córdoba.
• Fundación Banco Credicoop.
• Customs Brokers Center - Córdoba Office.
• Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of Córdoba.
• Colombia - Public Procurement Specialist.
• National Institute of Industrial Technology.
• National Institute of Music.
• Musician's Union.
• National University of Córdoba. School of Economic Sciences. Graduate School. Master's Degree in International Trade.
• National Technological University. MBA.
• National University of Villa María.
• Catholic University of Córdoba. School of Political Sciences and International Relations.
• Catholic University of Córdoba Business School (ICDA).
• Blas Pascal University.
• Siglo 21 University. Specialization in International Business.
• Instituto de Educación Superior en Comercio Exterior.
• Instituto Saber.