Former Ambassador Derek Shearer Visits Bolivia

From left to right: Ambassador Derek Shearer, U.S. Embassy Political Officer Brian Quigley, and the General Manager of the Bolivian Institute on Foreign Trade (IBCE) Gary Rodríguez

Invited by the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia, international speaker and former U.S. Ambassador to Finland, Derek Shearer, addressed 200 faculty and students from La Paz and Santa Cruz universities on strategies for governments and private businesses to succeed in the new world economy during his visit to Bolivia, June 6-13.

On Monday 9 and Thursday 12, Shearer lectured on “How to Succeed in the New World Economy,” at the Bolivian Catholic University in La Paz and at the Gabriel Rene Moreno National Autonomous University in Santa Cruz.

Shearer also delivered several talks before groups of high-level economic leaders on the U.S. elections, providing his personal assessment of possible changes in our Latin America policy under a new administration.

A university professor and former diplomat, Ambassador Shearer reached his audiences with a positive message on globalization, describing it as a tool that enables poor countries to grow.  He emphasized the importance of honest, efficient, corruption-free, and visionary governments in advancing economic goals, and referred to education as key in the creation of solid leadership towards successful economic development.  

Using the example of the State of California’s educational system, Ambassador Shearer encouraged Bolivian academic audiences to join efforts and cooperate with the government and the business sector in order to seek strategies to make Bolivia a successful country in the world. 
 

Former Ambassador Derek Shearer lectures on “Hot to Succeed in the New World Economy” at Gabriel Rene Moreno Autonomous University in Santa Cruz.

“Bolivia has spectacular landscapes and great potential for agriculture… but it is important to consider how Bolivia is perceived from outside,” said Ambassador Shearer when referring to Bolivia’s struggle to gain access to global markets. He also emphasized the importance of education in providing people from all sectors with the skills necessary to make the country marketable.  “The government sector is very important, particularly when it realizes the importance of investing in people and in education. Governments have to work in cooperation with other partners, set rules, and encourage the citizens,” said Ambassador Shearer.

In addition to his lectures in La Paz and Santa Cruz, Ambassador Shearer met with high-level executives from leading Bolivian chambers of commerce and foreign trade organizations to address the current political and economic challenges both the U.S. and Latin America are facing. He was also interviewed by Santa Cruz daily El Deber and other newspapers.