Facing Up to the Economic Slowdown
Latin America is expected to grow modestly in 2009. Local financial institutions as well as international agencies are providing resources to finance the implementation of counter-cyclical policies. Responses in sectors are trying to ease integration among supply chain links and promote greater coordination of macroeconomic policies in the region.
How are business sectors responding to 2009-2010 economic prospects?
Which sectors are performing better under such constraining circumstances?
Are there winners coming out of the present crisis? If so, what can we learn from them?
Panelists
Timothy P. Flynn, Chairman, KPMG International, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on Latin America
Jim Goodnight, Chief Executive Officer, SAS Institute, USA; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on Latin America
Lord Levene, Chairman, Lloyd’s, United Kingdom; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on Latin America
Ricardo Villela Marino, Chief Executive Officer, Latin America, Banco Itaú Unibanco, Brazil; Young Global Leader
Marcelo Bahia Odebrecht, Chief Executive Officer, Engineering and Construction, Odebrecht Brazil, and President, Odebrecht Group, Brazil; Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum on Latin America; Young Global Leader
Moderated by
Robert Greenhill, Managing Director and Chief Business Officer, World Economic Forum
After a decade of spearheading regional efforts at economic diversification and openness, Dubai has been stress-tested in the context of the current global economic downturn. What lessons can leaders in the region draw from recent developments in the emirate as they lay the foundations for future growth?
Panelists
Mark B. Fuller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Monitor Group, USA
Sheikh Khaled Bin Zayed Al Nehayan, Chairman, Bin Zayed Group, United Arab Emirates
Jean-Marie Péan, Chairman, Bain & Company Middle East, United Arab Emirates
Nasser H. Al Shaikh
Moderated by
William K. Spindle, Business Editor, The National, United Arab Emirates
The US will spend over 2.5 trillion dollars on health care in 2009, totaling 17.6 percent of GDP. France, Canada , Germany, Japan and the UK are all at or below 11 percent.
U.S. manufacturers spend more per hour on health care than their competitors in Canada, Japan and the UK combined.
When the uninsured can’t pay for doctor and hospital visits and have no where else to turn, the cost is shifted to those who have insurance coverage.
As many as 1.5 million families lose their homes to foreclosure every year due to unaffordable medical costs.
Wasteful and inefficient spending in the U.S. health care system adds up to roughly $700 billion a year—costing nearly as much as the recent recovery package.
A study published in the Journal of Labor Economics found that a 20 percent increase in health care costs for U.S. employers results in 3.5 million jobs lost.
Healthy Economy Now’s mission is to raise awareness about the crucial link between reforming the American health care system and revitalizing the American economy. At this time, the group wants to build momentum for quick action on health care reform in order to accelerate the nation’s economic recovery. The coalition draws support from all across the ideological spectrum including from the labor unions and business organizations.
Healthy Economy Now broadly supports making it possible for all Americans to have the quality, affordable health care of their choice. It is their belief that the first step is demanding action from Washington now. They view their job not as one to create policy but rather to build political will to achieve health care reform, so that Americans receive better health care and the American economy is no longer squeezed by skyrocketing costs. In support of this effort, they have released these two spots today. Each is a 30 second spot.
The H1N1 flu virus has officially become the world’s first flu pandemic in more than 40 years, but doctors say there is no need to panic. Officials stress that a pandemic refers to geographical reach, not severity. The World Health Organisation has raised the alert level from five to six after 30,000 cases have been diagnosed around the world.
Al Jazeera’s Nazanine Moshiri reports on how the flu has spread.
Kuwait is seeking billions in reparations from Iraq. At the moment, Iraq turns over 5% of its oil revenues in compensation. But Iraq is seeking to be relieved of its debts to Kuwait.