On 12 March, Business France hosted the Latin America Forum in Paris; a major gathering that brought together more than 350 participants and facilitated over 300 B2B meetings. As one of the key economic events dedicated to building partnerships between France and Latin American countries, the forum provided a valuable platform to deepen dialogue, identify investment opportunities, and strengthen bilateral ties across several sectors.

Alongside the Team France Export (Business France, BPI, CCI), Expertise France was there to connect directly with representatives from private companies, exporters, and startups — all of them potential candidates to benefit from the EULAC Digital Accelerator open-innovation project. The event aligned with our goal of boosting digital transformation across both regions while also highlighting the importance of building a dynamic and inclusive innovation ecosystem.

The interest in Expertise France was the opportunity offered by the organisers to hold B2B Meetings with stakeholders from Latin America and the Caribbean to present them with the opportunity to become EU LAC Digital Accelerator Beneficiaries. The stakeholders include Corporate Members from CCEF (Conseillers du Commerce Extérieur de la France), Scale-ups such as BioEsol with activities on both sides of the Atlantic, and Public sector-related authorities that may open doors to less-represented territories in the EU-LAC, such as Guyana and French Guiana.  The forum also opened the door to new opportunities for collaboration as part of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator project. For instance, a meeting with the Ensenada Economic Development Commission, which could help reach beneficiaries from Baja California, is a great step toward expanding the project’s reach into local business networks in Mexico.

Latin America at the Core of Europe’s Strategic Outlook

Across the six sectoral roundtables, speakers consistently highlighted the growing strategic importance of Latin America to European countries. The region is increasingly seen as a key partner, especially in sectors like agriculture, advanced technologies, and the green transition. This renewed interest is being further driven by the evolution of the EU–Mercosur agreement, which is expected to play a major role in shaping trade relations and regulatory frameworks between the two regions.

Extending Cooperation Beyond the Forum

More broadly, the event reaffirmed just how valuable open, forward-looking cooperation between Europe and Latin America can be — especially when it comes to tackling shared challenges around digital transformation and innovation-driven growth. 

A will that has been reiterated by major political figures present that day, as the Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness is Nicolas Forissier; as well as the new President of Business France, Louis Margueritte, succeeding the previous president of Business France, Christophe Lecourtier, who will take the head of AFD Group (Agence Française pour le Développement). 

This event is a good example of how major French foreign affairs institutions can work effectively together to support exports and attract foreign investments between Europe and Latin America.