“The year of 2009 will be a very difficult one for all levels of government,” said Commissioner Souto.  “Revenues will diminish, jobs will be lost and economic activity will decrease even more. Planning and managing the impact that these problems present in terms of inequality and poverty alleviation, democracy and decentralization will require effective leadership from all levels of government.”

This year’s conference theme is “Municipal Leadership and Intergovernmental Relations: Building New Bridges.” The program will focus heavily on how municipal leaders can better face the financial crisis, their intergovernmental relations and new methods to promote growth and economic development. Additional presentations will be made on the state of decentralization in the hemisphere, local governance, access to justice, promotion of transparency and the communication within municipalities. Representatives from several municipal associations will be present to provide their views on the financial crisis.

Ambassador Thomas Shannon, Jr., assistant secretary of state for Western Hemispheric Affairs, will deliver the keynote address. Additional confirmed speakers include Norman Quijano, mayor of San Salvador; Don Slesnick, mayor of Coral Gables; Fernando Vargas, mayor of Bucaramanga, Colombia; Marcelo Giugale, World Bank director of economic policy and poverty reduction; Luis Manuel Martinez, Standard & Poors’ director of public finance; and Ambassador Larry Palmer, president of the Inter-American Foundation.

“The conference not only provides an important boost to the Miami-Dade County economy by bringing more than 600 people from throughout Latin America, but it also solidifies our role as the crossroads of the hemisphere,” added Commissioner Souto. 

The first Inter-American Conference of Mayors held in Washington, D.C. in 1994 was attended by approximately 100 people, and co-sponsored by the USAID, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Organization of American States and the World Bank. The second conference, co-sponsored by the same organizations, was held in Miami with almost double the number of participants. Since that time, Commissioner Souto has taken a leadership role in hosting the conference locally.

The Inter-American Conference to Mayors is sponsored by Miami-Dade County and organized by Dr. Allan Rosenbaum, Director of Florida International University’s Institute for Public Management and Community Service (IPMCS).  Located in the Department of Public Administration at FIU, the IPMCS coordinates training programs and technical assistance for various countries in the world. Established in 1994, the Institute has trained thousands of public servants to be more effective, transparent and responsive.

For more information, please contact the Office of Commissioner Souto at (305) 222-2116.