The sixth edition of the Latin American and Caribbean Outsourcing and Offshoring forum, Outsource2LAC 2017 will be held in San José, Costa Rica, March 15 and 16. Outsource2LAC is a business meeting organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Costa Rica Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER), with the objective of sharing good practices and experiences of the sector, as well as generating business and investment opportunities for the small and medium size enterprises of Latin America and the Caribbean.

"The opportunity of going to Costa Rica was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I was able to make new friends, witness a different culture, and to expand my knowledge of a new language. I was surprised by how kind everyone was and how everyone took care of each other. I learned that I knew more Spanish than I thought I knew. Going to Costa Rica was enriching and very rewarding," wrote D'Andrea.

According to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, there are many benefits to participating in an exchange year. The delegate will develop leadership skills, build self-confidence and cultivate a greater understanding of the entire world. [...] But most importantly, the lasting connections and friendships which grow are unmeasurable.

Most countries in the Americas still approach global and regional geopolitics through the realist prism, underpinned by a Westphalian view of international relations. It’s therefore no surprise that the great majority of Latin American foreign ministries do not consider that the ability to attract, coax, and persuade stems from soft power. Given this, brand or mission statement will not alter fundamental geopolitical or diplomatic circumstances. 

The United States government has been paying to feed and shelter thousands of Cubans trying to migrate to the United States, in what critics consider another sign of the lopsided treatment provided to Cubans under American law.